HJ0056 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0056 LRB093 20651 HSS 46498 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WHEREAS, The Medicare drug bill diverts billions of dollars into subsidies for HMOs and insurance companies, discriminating against beneficiaries who choose to stay in fee-for-service Medicare; and

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

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

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

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

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