093_HR0578

                                     LRB093 14514 DRJ 20309 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The United States Congress  is  now  considering
 3    the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill; and

 4        WHEREAS,  In  2001  the United States spent 140.6 billion
 5    dollars on prescription drugs,  with  Medicare  spending  2.4
 6    billion dollars on prescription drugs; and

 7        WHEREAS,  The  high  cost of prescription drugs places an
 8    extraordinarily heavy burden on elderly persons  and  persons
 9    with disabilities who live on fixed incomes; and

10        WHEREAS, It is crucial for Congress and each of the state
11    legislatures  to  respond  to  this  health  care crisis in a
12    timely yet thoughtful manner; and

13        WHEREAS, The proposed federal Medicare Prescription  Drug
14    Bill awaiting approval from Congress does not adequately meet
15    the  needs  of  Illinois  senior  citizens  and  persons with
16    disabilities, because it  offers  less  assistance  than  our
17    current State prescription drug programs offer; and

18        WHEREAS,  The proposed federal Medicare Prescription Drug
19    Bill includes a complicated drug benefit and fails  to  lower
20    drug prices; and

21        WHEREAS,  The proposed federal Medicare Prescription Drug
22    Bill will adversely affect elderly persons and  persons  with
23    disabilities who currently receive prescription drug coverage
24    and  other  benefits  under  the  Illinois  Medicaid program;
25    therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
27    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
28    we call upon the  United  States  Congress  to  refrain  from
29    passing  the  federal  Medicare Prescription Drug Bill in its
30    current form, and we further urge the United States  Congress
 
                            -2-      LRB093 14514 DRJ 20309 r
 1    not  to pass any measure that fails to do more for its senior
 2    citizens and persons with disabilities than  do  the  current
 3    Illinois prescription drug programs; and be it further

 4        RESOLVED,  That a copy of this Resolution be sent to each
 5    member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.