HR0445 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0445 LRB100 12760 MST 26779 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On May 5, 2017, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 1628, otherwise known as the American Health Care Act (AHCA); and

WHEREAS, In March of 2017, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that 24 million people would lose their health insurance if the AHCA were passed and implemented; of those 24 million people, 14 million are currently covered by Medicaid, which the AHCA would also slash by approximately $880 billion over 10 years, putting some of the poorest and most vulnerable citizens at great risk; and

WHEREAS, As a result of passage of the AHCA, Illinois could face a loss of $40 billion in federal Medicaid funding over the next 10 years, affecting over one million Illinois residents who currently have coverage under the Affordable Care Act; and

WHEREAS, Currently, Illinois is ranked 50th in the nation for capturing federal Medicaid dollars, putting the State in an extremely vulnerable position and unable to absorb more costs from the federal government; and

WHEREAS, The AHCA also allows states to waive community rating, which bans insurers from charging higher premiums to those with pre-existing conditions and would result in much higher premiums for people with pre-existing conditions; and

WHEREAS, As a result of waiving the ban on pre-existing conditions, the cost of insurance will increase for people with pre-existing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, autistic disorder, seizures, asthma, kidney disease, and children with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, The AHCA also has a provision letting states waive essential health benefits such as outpatient care, emergency services, hospitalization, pregnancy, maternity, newborn care, mental health, substance use disorder services, and pediatric services; and

WHEREAS, Waiving of essential benefits puts mothers and children at severe risk of losing coverage as plans on the individual market can once again decide not to cover maternity care as a result of the AHCA; and

WHEREAS, The law would also adopt a policy known as "per capita cap" for Medicaid that would replace the current funding mechanism, and rather than matching state spending, the AHCA would give each state a set amount of money per person and place specific caps for differing populations such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and other at-risk populations; and

WHEREAS, As a result of placing a cap on spending, people with disabilities who rely on home and community-based services through Medicaid, such as personal-attendant care, skilled nursing, and specialized therapies could lose access to the services they need in order to live independently and remain in their homes; and

WHEREAS, The AHCA also places the elderly at risk; as states continue to see rising populations as a result of the baby boom generation, implementing a per capita cap on spending may restrict a state's ability to keep up with demand for services, resulting in premature institutionalization, lack of services, and reduced quality of life for our seniors; and

WHEREAS, The AHCA poses a threat for persons with substance abuse disorders; the opioid crisis in Illinois has placed a heavier burden on the State's Medicaid program and has resulted in an immense need for increased services; a per capita cap will limit the State's ability to leverage additional monies in times of crises or epidemic, further hampering the State's ability to be responsive to the needs of its most vulnerable populations during the most critical times; and

WHEREAS, The law allows states to impose work requirements on those applying for Medicaid, which has not been proven to increase employment among the poor and will meaningfully reduce access to care for low-income families; and

WHEREAS, Medicare is a federal health insurance program that currently pays for a variety of health care expenses for senior citizens aged 65 and older and people with certain other qualifying conditions only; and

WHEREAS, Medicare currently insures over 55 million Americans, and nearly everyone over age 65; in Illinois alone, over two million people receive Medicare benefits; and

WHEREAS, There have been recent legislative efforts at the federal level to expand Medicare for all persons in the United States, not just those currently eligible which would provide coverage for all medically necessary services, including doctor visits, hospital care, prevention programs, long-term care, mental health, reproductive health care, dental, vision, prescription drug, and medical supply costs; and

WHEREAS, Children (unmarried and under age 22) can only receive Medicare if they are disabled or have a qualifying condition and make up less than 7% of the current population of people on Medicare; and

WHEREAS, Expanding the federal Medicare program to those who need care the most can be a positive step to strengthen our nation's commitment to improving the health and safety of all Americans and reduce the risk of cuts posed by the AHCA to those that are most vulnerable; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we strongly urge the federal government, the United States Congress, and the President of the United States to oppose the American Health Care Act and to expand the federal Medicare program for people most in need especially children, women, and those with pre-existing conditions, that are put at extreme risk as a result of passage of the American Health Care Act; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the United States Congress, and the President of the United States.