HJ0056

LRB093 20651 HSS 46498 r









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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Federal legislation (hereinafter, "the Medicare 
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drug bill") purporting to assist Medicare beneficiaries with 
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prescription drug costs was signed into law on December 8, 
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2003; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Congressional Budget Office has estimated 
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that 2.7 million retirees will lose employer coverage as a 
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result of the aforementioned legislation; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill will provide benefits that 
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are inferior to most employer coverage or to Illinois' Circuit 
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Breaker and SeniorCare programs; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Under the Medicare drug bill, millions of 
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beneficiaries without drug coverage will face higher 
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out-of-pocket drug costs, while a beneficiary with $5,100 in 
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out of pocket drug costs will receive only $1,080 in benefits; 
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and
 

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    WHEREAS, Prescription drug prices are far higher in the 
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United States than they are in Canada or other industrialized 
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nations; and
 

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    WHEREAS, Skyrocketing drug costs will rapidly erode the 
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already inadequate benefit to be provided by the Medicare drug 
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bill; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill prohibits the federal 
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government from negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies 
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for lower prices and effectively bans re-importation of 
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affordable prescription drugs from Canada or other nations; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill diverts billions of dollars 
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into subsidies for HMOs and insurance companies, 
 


 









HJ0056
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LRB093 20651 HSS 46498 r







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discriminating against beneficiaries who choose to stay in 
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fee-for-service Medicare; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill increases out-of-pocket 
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costs and reduces coverage for poor seniors and disabled 
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persons who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid; and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill lays the groundwork for 
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privatization of Medicare and elimination of Medicare's 
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program of guaranteed benefits for the elderly and disabled; 
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and
 

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    WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill represents a victory for 
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special interests rather than for seniors and the disabled; 
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therefore, be it
 

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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE 
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SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we call upon the United States 
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Congress to replace the Medicare drug bill with legislation 
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that empowers the federal government to address spiraling drug 
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prices, that provides a meaningful drug benefit, and that does 
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not undermine beneficiaries' freedom of choice; and be it 
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further
 

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    RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to each 
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member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, to the Speaker 
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of the United States House of Representatives, and to the 
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President of the United States Senate.