SJ0003 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0003 LRB096 03280 DRJ 13297 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois recognizes that Alzheimer's disease is the 21st century's health epidemic; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois recognizes that ten million baby boomers in the United States will develop Alzheimer's disease; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature of the State of Illinois recognizes that one in eight baby boomers in America will develop Alzheimer's; and

WHEREAS, Today, there are between 200,000 and 500,000 people under age 65 with young-onset Alzheimer's disease or other dementias in the United States; and

WHEREAS, People under age 65 with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias whose employment is terminated because of the disease are likely to lose job-related health insurance and may become uninsured and uninsurable; and

WHEREAS, Individuals with young-onset Alzheimer's disease who qualify for Medicare benefits under Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) must wait five months after the eligibility determination is made to start receiving SSDI benefits and 24 months after that date for Medicare benefits to start; and

WHEREAS, The Medicare waiting period causes many people with Alzheimer's disease to decide whether they will face high medical out-of-pocket expenditures for care or forgo medical care; 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 we urge the members of the Illinois delegation to the United States Congress to phase out Medicare's two-year waiting period so that persons under age 65 with Alzheimer's disease are eligible for Medicare immediately after receiving their determination of disability; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation.