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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP)
3 was enacted in 1995 to provide medical coverage for teachers
4 during their retirement years following a financial crisis
5 brought on by changes in federal tax law that prevented the use
6 of Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Retirement Trust Fund moneys
7 for health insurance purposes; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Skyrocketing health insurance costs quickly
9 eroded available funds for the program, prompting General
10 Assembly legislative action in the 92nd General Assembly to
11 create a temporary solution that included (1) a July 1, 2004
12 sunset date, (2) increase in State support, (3) increase in
13 retiree premiums, (4) active teacher contributions, and (5)
14 school district contributions; and
 
15     WHEREAS, In 2004 the associations representing the
16 education community, as well as retired teachers and the
17 Governor's Office, negotiated a 3-year health insurance
18 benefits package for retired teachers; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The 2004 negotiated health care benefits package
20 included a 3-year schedule of increases to (1) retiree premiums
21 and (2) contributions from active teachers, school districts,
22 and the State to sustain the program; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, A component of the 2004 agreement was a State
2 continuing appropriation of $13 million in Fiscal Years 2005,
3 2006, and 2007 to sustain benefit enhancements included in the
4 TRIP program in 1999 for retired teachers; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The $13 million continuing appropriation helped
6 stabilize retiree premium increases and out-of-pocket expenses
7 and maintained basic health benefits; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The General Assembly authorized this three-year
9 negotiated agreement in Public Act 93-679; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The 2004 negotiated agreement ended at the end
11 Fiscal Year 2007, and the $13 million was not included in the
12 Fiscal Year 2008 budget and is not proposed by the Governor for
13 the Fiscal Year 2009 budget; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The Governor's Office and the Department of
15 Healthcare and Family Services recently released a new benefits
16 package for retired teachers participating in the TRIP program;
17 and
 
18     WHEREAS, Unlike the 2004 negotiated agreement, the new
19 benefit package for retired teachers was not negotiated with
20 the associations representing the education community and

 

 

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1 retired teachers and was announced to all parties by the
2 Governor's Office after the benefits package was finalized; and
 
3     WHEREAS, The new Fiscal Year 2009 TRIP benefit package,
4 which is effective on July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009 and
5 administered by the Department of Central Management Services,
6 increases fees, deductibles, and co-payments for medical
7 services to make up for the loss of the $13 million State
8 contribution; and
 
9     WHEREAS, The increased fees, deductibles, and co-payments
10 for basic medical services are a hardship on retired teachers
11 who are on fixed incomes and rely on and deserve basic health
12 insurance benefits; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
14 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
15 teachers deserve affordable health care benefits upon
16 retirement; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois should negotiate
18 benefit packages in good faith with all stakeholders
19 contributing to TRIP; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That we urge the Governor to reconsider the
21 catastrophic increases to the fees, deductibles, and

 

 

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1 co-payments for basic medical services provided in the Fiscal
2 Year 2009 TRIP benefit package; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That we urge that $13 million be included in the
4 Fiscal Year 2009 budget to sustain basic, affordable health
5 benefits for teachers upon retirement and to prevent escalating
6 out-of-pocket costs for retirees; and be it further
 
7     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 delivered to the Governor.