SR1701 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1701 LRB100 21873 MST 39706 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The passage of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often shortened to (ACA), has given millions of middle class Americans the health care security they deserve; it is slowing the growth of health care costs and it has brought transparency and competition to the health insurance marketplace; and

WHEREAS, The ACA represents the U.S. healthcare system's most significant regulatory overhaul and expansion of coverage since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965; increased coverage has been due to an expansion of Medicaid eligibility and to major changes to individual insurance markets; the law also enacted a host of delivery system reforms intended to constrain healthcare costs and improve quality; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the ACA, 850,000 people in Illinois gained health insurance coverage from 2010 to 2015; the coverage gains include all the avenues that the ACA created, including Medicaid expansion, which Illinois implemented; and

WHEREAS, In 2018, 334,979 people enrolled in plans through the Illinois exchange during open enrollment; and

WHEREAS, In addition to the coverage gains via Medicaid expansion, there were more than 253,000 people receiving subsidies to offset the cost of their private coverage in the Illinois exchange in 2017, and nearly 150,000 receiving cost-sharing subsidies (cost-sharing reductions); both of those subsidies continue to be available in 2018; and

WHEREAS, Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition - that is, health problems that insurance companies previously used to deny coverage to new customers; and

WHEREAS, One of the most important components of ACA was prohibiting health insurers from charging more, denying coverage, or limiting benefits to an individual because of a pre-existing health condition like asthma, diabetes, or cancer; and

WHEREAS, Once health insurance is obtained, insurers cannot refuse to cover treatment for a pre-existing condition; and

WHEREAS, Efforts are currently underway to reverse the progress to provide affordable healthcare for all Americans; and

WHEREAS, A repeal of the ACA's individual mandate, passed as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, will not further the cause of affordable healthcare in the United States, particularly for those with preexisting conditions; and

WHEREAS, Eliminating the individual mandate by itself likely will result in a significant increase in premiums, which would in turn substantially increase the number of uninsured Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the U.S. Congress not to enact any law that would prevent individuals with pre-existing conditions from having access to affordable health care; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to President Donald Trump, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and all members of the Illinois Congressional Delegation.