HJ0125 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, State Employees Group Insurance provides healthcare coverage for Illinois state employees and dependents; and

WHEREAS, State employees group insurance costs the State nearly $2 billion annually; and

WHEREAS, It is important to continue to provide adequate care to Illinois employees and their families while also being economically efficient; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, the City of Springfield, in an effort to address the situation of rising healthcare costs, opened an employer sponsored health clinic; and

WHEREAS, Springfield School District 186 and Sangamon County are partnering to launch a similar health clinic option for their employees; and

WHEREAS, An employer-sponsored health clinic is designed to be a clinic where employees are able to receive various services, including lab work and medical care for minor issues with no out-of-pocket costs to the employee and dependents; and

WHEREAS, The issue of controlling health care costs has been a contentious issue for the State of Illinois and its employee unions through the collective bargaining process for many years, with the current contract being tied up in the judicial system; and

WHEREAS, An employer-sponsored health clinic for employees and dependents can see savings by paying a flat contracted rate between the clinic and the employer rather than paying much higher rates at similar clinics under health insurance plans; and

WHEREAS, As the cost of health care in Illinois and across the country continues to rise, it is vital that the State of Illinois look for innovative ways to provide access to care for its employees, dependents, and retirees while at the same time maintaining current levels of care and doing so at a lower overall cost to taxpayers in Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the State Sponsored Health Clinic Task Force to study the possibility of implementing a State of Illinois sponsored health clinic for state employees, dependents, and retirees, with the purpose of providing quality care and annual savings to State's overall group insurance costs; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the following members, to serve without compensation:

1) Two individuals appointed by the Speaker of the House;

2) Two individuals appointed by the Minority Leader of the House;

3) Two individuals appointed by the President of the Senate;

4) Two individuals appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

5) One individual appointed by the Governor; and

6) One individual appointed by the president/director of a union representing the largest amount of State employees; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Department of Central Management services shall provide administrative support for the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit its final report to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2018, and upon the filing of its report, the Task Force is dissolved; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Director of Central Management Services, the Speaker of the House, the Minority Leader of the House, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Governor, and the president/director of a union representing the largest amount of State employees.