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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, At present the debate over federal health care
3 reform legislation, while generating intense debate,
4 nonetheless appears to include a substantial consensus on
5 several key points: reduce the long-term growth of health care;
6 protect families from bankruptcy because of health care costs;
7 invest in prevention and wellness; improve patient safety and
8 quality of care; assure affordable, quality health insurance
9 coverage for all Americans, including those who change jobs or
10 lose their jobs; and eliminate pre-existing medical condition
11 insurance restrictions; and
 
12     WHEREAS, A significant part of the debate over health care
13 reform legislation revolves around whether to include a public
14 option which would be an insurance plan operated by the federal
15 government that would negotiate payment rates with doctors,
16 hospitals, and other health care providers; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Supporters of a public option assert that it would
18 benefit consumers because it would save money since it would
19 not need to produce a profit, operate with lower overhead, use
20 the government's bargaining power to negotiate payments to
21 hospitals and doctors, and hold insurance companies
22 accountable through choice and competition; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Currently the most discussed legislative proposal
2 includes a public option operated by the federal government
3 which would permit a state to opt out of participating in the
4 public option by adopting a law to that effect; and
 
5     WHEREAS, It is important that the citizens of Illinois know
6 that their elected officials serving in the House of
7 Representatives: share their concerns about the availability
8 and affordability of quality health care services and
9 comprehensive health insurance; and wish to communicate their
10 determination, if faced with federal health care reform laws
11 that include a public option and a state opt out provision, to
12 act to maintain the availability of a public option for
13 Illinois residents, whether that be by refusing to opt out or
14 by creating an public option for Illinois residents as part of
15 any legislation that opts out of the national program;
16 therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19 that we urge the United States Congress to adopt meaningful
20 health care reform legislation that completely addresses the
21 key points upon which there is broad consensus; and be it
22 further
 
23     RESOLVED, That the members of the House of Representatives,

 

 

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1 if faced with federal law that provides for a public option
2 with an option for states to opt out, will decline the opt out
3 option or, if the opt out provision is exercised, create a
4 public option for Illinois residents; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6 delivered to President Obama, the Majority Leader and Minority
7 Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority
8 Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and to
9 each member of the Illinois congressional delegation.