SJ0071 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0071 LRB096 13081 DRJ 27422 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Illinois Medicaid program is a joint federal-state program to support medical services for certain portions of the low income population; and

WHEREAS, Approximately 2.5 million Illinois residents receive some Medicaid services and it is the primary source of medical coverage for more than one out of six residents; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Medicaid expenses have grown from $11.8 billion in FY2005 to $12.4 billion in FY2008; and

WHEREAS, FY2009 expenses are likely to exceed $13 billion or about one-quarter of the State's annual operating appropriations; and

WHEREAS, The State operating budget is difficult to understand as it pertains to Medicaid since it confounds changes in payment cycles, eligibility standards, and inflation-related adjustments built into existing programs; and

WHEREAS, The State of Illinois will receive federal stimulus money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to support Medicaid services; and

WHEREAS, ARRA has temporarily raised the rate of Illinois federal Medicaid match to 60.48% from 50.32%, which is expected to generate an additional $2.9 billion in federal Medicaid funds between October 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Upon the expiration of ARRA in 2011, the State of Illinois will experience a Medicaid budget gap of at least $1.3 billion; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the General Assembly of the State of Illinois hereby establishes a joint legislative and gubernatorial commission to launch a review of the future financing of the State's Medicaid program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the review must include a plan to compensate for the expiration of the federal stimulus program on December 31, 2010; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission recommend the creation of an executive-level Medicaid management group to address program issues that cut across specific agencies and budgetary categories; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission recommend the issuance of a comprehensive annual report on Illinois Medicaid in a prescribed format that would provide essential data and evaluate the program's operations and effectiveness; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the commission will be composed of four members appointed by the Illinois House of Representatives, two by the Speaker of the House and two by the Minority Leader; four members appointed by the Illinois Senate, two by the Senate President and two by the Minority Leader; and three members appointed by the Governor of Illinois.