State of Illinois
92^nd General Assembly
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92_SB0161gms

 
                            State of Illinois
                         OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
                      Springfield, Illinois  62706
      George H. Ryan
      GOVERNOR
                                                    August 10, 2001
      To the Honorable Members of
        The Illinois State Senate
      92nd General Assembly
          Pursuant to Article IV,  section  9(b)  of  the  Illinois
      Constitution of 1970, I hereby veto Senate Bill 161, entitled
      "AN ACT in relation to public aid."
          Senate  Bill  161 creates the Long Term Care Funding Task
      Force  to  study  new  Medicaid  reimbursement  formulas  for
      geriatric,  intermediate,  developmentally  disabledpediatric
      and shelter care facilities.   The  bill  requires  the  task
      force  to issue a report to the Director of the Department of
      Public  Aid,  the  Secretary  of  the  Department  of   Human
      Services, and the General Assembly by April 1, 2002.
          There  are several factors regarding Senate Bill 161 that
      concern  me.   First,  there  is  no  direct  long-term  care
      consumer representation called for in the bill.  The proposed
      task force is heavily weighted with those groups who  have  a
      financial   stake   in  any  recommendations  issued  by  the
      committee.
          Second,  the  proposed  task  force  does   not   include
      representation from groups that favor deinstitutionalization.
      As  a  matter  of  public  policy,  and  with  regards to the
      Olmstead decision, I believe we should be  assessing  options
      for   encouraging   Illinois   citizens   to  remain  out  of
      institutional settings and in their own homes for as long  as
      possible.    Further,   Senate  Bill  161  does  not  require
      opportunities for comment by interested groups and members of
      the general public not afforded membership on the task force.
          Finally, Senate Bill 161 does not specifically charge the
      task force with developing ways for the state to finance  any
      of  its  forthcoming  rate  methodology recommendations.  The
      State has formed  similar  long-term  care  rate  methodology
      study groups in the past, only to not be able to afford their
      recommendations.
          If  the honorable members of the General Assembly wish to
      create a committee to study the issues raised in Senate  Bill
      161,  I would suggest a more inclusive group that studies the
      whole  issue  of  aging,  public  health  care  finance,  and
      initiatives designed to allow citizens to live  independently
      for as long as possible.
          For  these  reasons, I hereby veto and return Senate Bill
      161.
                                             Sincerely,
                                             George H. Ryan
                                             GOVERNOR

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