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92_SB0161gms
State of Illinois
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Springfield, Illinois 62706
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
August 10, 2001
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois State Senate
92nd General Assembly
Pursuant to Article IV, section 9(b) of the Illinois
Constitution of 1970, I hereby veto Senate Bill 161, entitled
"AN ACT in relation to public aid."
Senate Bill 161 creates the Long Term Care Funding Task
Force to study new Medicaid reimbursement formulas for
geriatric, intermediate, developmentally disabledpediatric
and shelter care facilities. The bill requires the task
force to issue a report to the Director of the Department of
Public Aid, the Secretary of the Department of Human
Services, and the General Assembly by April 1, 2002.
There are several factors regarding Senate Bill 161 that
concern me. First, there is no direct long-term care
consumer representation called for in the bill. The proposed
task force is heavily weighted with those groups who have a
financial stake in any recommendations issued by the
committee.
Second, the proposed task force does not include
representation from groups that favor deinstitutionalization.
As a matter of public policy, and with regards to the
Olmstead decision, I believe we should be assessing options
for encouraging Illinois citizens to remain out of
institutional settings and in their own homes for as long as
possible. Further, Senate Bill 161 does not require
opportunities for comment by interested groups and members of
the general public not afforded membership on the task force.
Finally, Senate Bill 161 does not specifically charge the
task force with developing ways for the state to finance any
of its forthcoming rate methodology recommendations. The
State has formed similar long-term care rate methodology
study groups in the past, only to not be able to afford their
recommendations.
If the honorable members of the General Assembly wish to
create a committee to study the issues raised in Senate Bill
161, I would suggest a more inclusive group that studies the
whole issue of aging, public health care finance, and
initiatives designed to allow citizens to live independently
for as long as possible.
For these reasons, I hereby veto and return Senate Bill
161.
Sincerely,
George H. Ryan
GOVERNOR
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