HR0864 LRB094 16360 HSS 51611 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, American senior citizens are confused about the
3 new Medicare drug plan; because this confusion is so prevalent,
4 Congress should provide more time for seniors to determine the
5 best options for their individual needs; and
 
6     WHEREAS, According to a poll released by the Kaiser Family
7 Foundation, two-thirds of seniors do not know they have to
8 choose a private prescription drug plan; one-third of seniors
9 think they can receive their drugs through Medicare; the poll
10 showed that 76% of seniors have never been on-line, making
11 researching their options even more intimidating; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Most alarming, 63% of seniors don't know they will
13 face financial penalties if they do not sign up by next May;
14 and
 
15     WHEREAS, The Medicare Informed Choice Act of 2005 will
16 protect seniors as they work their way through the benefit; the
17 bill does three important things: delays the late enrollment
18 penalties for an additional six months, providing an entire
19 year before financial penalties will be assessed; gives every
20 Medicare beneficiary the opportunity to make a one-time change
21 in plan enrollment at any point in 2006, providing for
22 correction of any mistake made in choosing a plan; and it
23 protects employees from being dropped by their former
24 employer's plan during the first year of implementation so that
25 beneficiaries have time to correct enrollment mistakes;
26 therefore, be it
 
27     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
28 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
29 we urge Congress to pass the Medicare Informed Choice Act of
30 2005 as introduced in the Senate; and be it further
 

 

 

HR0864 - 2 - LRB094 16360 HSS 51611 r

1     RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be delivered to
2 each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.