PRINTER'S NO. 424
No. 49 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, REGOLA, COSTA, BOSCOLA, RHOADES, MUSTO,
ERICKSON, ARMSTRONG, PUNT, FOLMER, MELLOW, GREENLEAF,
TOMLINSON, KITCHEN, WAUGH, TARTAGLIONE, O'PAKE, WOZNIAK AND
RAFFERTY, MARCH 13, 2007
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, MARCH 13, 2007
A RESOLUTION
1 Memorializing the Congress of the United States to review and
2 consider the National Governors Association recommendations
3 which would allow states to utilize greater flexibility in
4 their provision of Medicaid services.
5 WHEREAS, Medicaid is the nation's largest health care
6 program, providing health and long-term care services to 53
7 million low-income pregnant women, children, individuals with
8 disabilities and seniors; and
9 WHEREAS, Medicaid is a vital health care safety net and
10 provides important services to those persons who can get care
11 from no other source; and
12 WHEREAS, Federal and state spending in Medicaid has
13 experienced a dramatic increase over the past five years because
14 of increases in caseloads and an increase in costs of health
15 care services; and
16 WHEREAS, States devote 22% of their budgets to Medicaid, and
17 this increasing cost is unsustainable; and
18 WHEREAS, Congress has passed a budget resolution that may
1 reduce Federal financial participation in the Medicaid program;
2 and
3 WHEREAS, States' experiences with Medicaid place them in
4 unique positions to utilize ways to modernize the provision of
5 benefits while protecting recipients and curtailing overuse and
6 abuse; and
7 WHEREAS, The National Governors Association has indicated
8 that cost-sharing, varying benefit packages, improving
9 prescription drug plans, changing asset transfer rules,
10 instituting comprehensive waiver reforms, providing for local
11 management of optional Medicaid categories, coordinating chronic
12 care management, providing tax breaks and credits for purchase
13 of long-term care insurance and creating long-term care
14 partnerships would help modernize and sustain the Medicaid
15 program; therefore be it
16 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
17 memorialize the Congress to review and consider the National
18 Governors Association recommendations which would allow states
19 to utilize greater flexibility in their provision of Medicaid
20 services; and be it further
21 RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
22 the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
23 member of Congress from Pennsylvania.
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