HR0823 LRB096 16633 KTG 31909 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Congress enacted the American Recovery and
3 Reinvestment Act of 2009 ("ARRA") which, among many things,
4 authorized an estimated $87 billion in additional federal
5 funding for states in the form of a temporary increase in the
6 funds that the federal government contributes toward Medicaid
7 and Title IV-E programs; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Section 5001 of the ARRA provided eligible states
9 with an increase in funding to the Federal Medical Assistance
10 Percentage (FMAP) formula for 27 months between October 1, 2008
11 and December 31, 2010, with the purpose of protecting people
12 whose eligibility might otherwise be at risk if state budget
13 shortfalls resulted in Medicaid cutbacks; and
 
14     WHEREAS, Illinois received an increase in the FMAP formula
15 from 50.32% federal contribution to 60.48% in Fiscal Year 2009
16 and 61.88% in Fiscal Year 2010, resulting in $1.6 billion in
17 cumulative increased FMAP funding in Fiscal Years 2009 and
18 2010; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The increased FMAP formula has allowed Illinois to
20 utilize funds to comply with prompt pay requirements in an
21 effort to pay most Medicaid providers at 30 days rather than
22 the 90 days the State was approaching; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Although the current economic climate has caused
2 Illinois to face severe unprecedented budget shortfalls, the
3 increase in the FMAP funding has prevented even more drastic
4 cuts that would have been implemented had this increase in
5 funding not been available; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Illinois legislators will approach the Fiscal
7 Year 2011 budget with as much caution as the Fiscal Year 2010
8 budget; and it is estimated that lagging revenues and continued
9 spending pressures will result in an even larger deficit; and
10 that without an infusion of cash from borrowing or another
11 source, the State's fiscal health will continue to decline; and
 
12     WHEREAS, On December 15, 2009, the National Caucus of State
13 Legislatures sent letters to the leadership of both chambers of
14 Congress to extend the enhanced FMAP formula for at least an
15 additional six months to June 30, 2011, in order to maintain
16 the assistance to states as growing numbers of Americans who
17 have become Medicaid-eligible as a result of the economic
18 downturn continue to rise; therefore, be it
 
19     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
20 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
21 respectfully urge Congress and all members of the Illinois
22 Congressional Delegation to support an extension of the

 

 

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1 increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage funding, made
2 available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
3 2009, beyond December 31, 2010; and be it further
 
4     RESOLVED, That after adoption, suitable copies of this
5 resolution shall be sent by the Clerk of the Illinois House of
6 Representatives, to the members of the Illinois Congressional
7 Delegation, the President pro tempore and Minority Leader of
8 the United States Senate, and the Speaker and Minority Leader
9 of the United States House of Representatives.