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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 3

2     AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend Senate Joint Resolution 3 by
3 replacing everything after the title with the following:
 
4     "WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois
5 recognizes that access to Medicare is necessary for people
6 under age 65 who are eligible for Social Security Disability
7 Insurance (SSDI); and
 
8     WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois
9 recognizes that people under age 65 who qualify for SSDI and
10 who lose their jobs are likely to lose job-related health
11 insurance; and
 
12     WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois
13 recognizes that most individuals who become disabled, before
14 their disability, were working jobs and paying into Medicare;
15 and
 

 

 

SJ0003SAM001 - 2 - LRB096 03280 DRJ 22429 a

1     WHEREAS, Now, when these people need coverage the most -
2 when they have lost their health, their jobs, their income, and
3 their health insurance; and
 
4     WHEREAS, Individuals who qualify for Medicare benefits
5 under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) must wait
6 five months after the eligibility determination is made to
7 start receiving SSDI benefits and 24 months after that date for
8 Medicare benefits to start; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Because of the two-year wait for Medicare
10 benefits, many people with disabilities and their families are
11 likely to face very high out-of-pocket expenditures for long
12 term care or be forced to forego medical care; therefore, be it
 
13     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
14 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
15 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the members of the Illinois
16 delegation to the United States Congress to phase out
17 Medicare's two-year waiting period so that persons under age 65
18 are eligible for Medicare immediately after receiving their
19 determination of disability; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent
21 to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.".