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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, In times of economic downturn, states look to
3 reduce spending to stay within the available resources; and
 
4     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois currently is at the lowest
5 federal Medicaid matching rate (50%); and
 
6     WHEREAS, Community service providers provide Medicaid
7 funded health care, mental health, substance abuse and
8 community based disability services; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Community service providers are often in the top
10 five largest employers in their counties; and
 
11     WHEREAS, Downturns in the economy often result in an
12 increased need for services provided by community disability,
13 mental health and substance abuse services and supports
14 providers; and
 
15     WHEREAS, The Medicaid program is the health care safety net
16 for low-income children, families, the elderly and the
17 disabled; and
 
18     WHEREAS, A significant portion of the services and supports
19 provided by community service providers receive federal

 

 

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1 reimbursement from the Medicaid program; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Increases in the Federal Medical Assistance
3 Percentage, also known as FMAP, decrease pressure on states to
4 cut spending and raise taxes; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Increases in FMAP reduce the need to cut Medicaid
6 eligibility, benefits and rates; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Increases in FMAP reduce the necessity of
8 community providers significantly funded by Medicaid to lay off
9 staff, reduce services and expand waiting lists when reductions
10 in funding are made, thereby providing ongoing economic
11 stimulus by the staff's continued employment and spending being
12 maintained rather than reduced; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Increased demand for community disability, mental
14 health, and substance abuse services requires community
15 providers to be fully staffed to safely respond to those
16 demands; and
 
17     WHEREAS, An FMAP increase would allow the State of Illinois
18 to increase General Revenue spending to maintain community
19 services and supports, and therefore leverage greater amounts
20 of total dollars; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, An FMAP increase would help the State of Illinois
2 meet its current commitments to the Medicaid program and also
3 be able to withstand future enrollment increases for current
4 eligibility groups that will occur with the recession; and
 
5     WHEREAS, It is critically important that the State of
6 Illinois respond to the pressure of its current fiscal crisis
7 in a responsible way to those who are currently aided by
8 Medicaid spending; therefore, be it
 
9     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
10 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
11 CONCURRING HEREIN, that we do hereby direct the use of
12 increased FMAP to support current efforts to serve the needs of
13 beneficiaries and maintain or enhance those efforts as
14 appropriate; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That neither the Governor, nor the Governor's
16 Office of Management and Budget, nor the Illinois Department of
17 Healthcare and Family Services will be permitted to allocate
18 increased FMAP funds for other non-Medicaid programs; and be it
19 further
 
20     RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
21 delivered to the Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the
22 United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the

 

 

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1 United States House of Representatives, and to each member of
2 the Illinois Congressional delegation.