HR1089 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1089 LRB097 21679 KXB 70058 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Governor Pat Quinn is planning to eliminate the Illinois Cares Rx program; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Cares Rx was created to fill a vital gap in medical coverage for older adults and people with disabilities who are on Medicare but have incomes that are too high for Medicaid and Extra Help and too low to afford cost-sharing including premiums, deductibles, co-payments, and the donut hole in Medicare; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Cares Rx is cost-effective State spending, saving costs immediately by preventing the possibility of further acute illnesses, keeping the citizens of the State out of hospitals and nursing homes and possibly from seeking more expensive specialty care; and

WHEREAS, The health care reform law, "The Affordable Care Act," will not close the prescription coverage gap until 2020; and

WHEREAS, The proposed elimination of the Illinois Cares Rx program would cut off more of the State's low income citizens with special health needs than any other proposed reduction; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge Governor Pat Quinn to reverse his plan to eliminate the Illinois Cares Rx program and continue this vital program; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Governor Pat Quinn.