Text: SCR00106 Text: SCR00108 Text: SCR00100 - SCR00199 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY KRAMER, VEENSTRA, BOETTGER, REDWINE, LAMBERTI, 1 3 TINSMAN, BOLKCOM, KIBBIE, SOUKUP, HAMMOND, KING, 1 4 ZIEMAN, McKIBBEN, SHEARER, JENSEN, REHBERG, DEARDEN, 1 5 FINK, IVERSON, RITTMER, BEHN, HORN, DVORSKY, BLACK, 1 6 McKINLEY, HOUSER, FREEMAN, DRAKE, GREINER, LUNDBY, 1 7 CONNOLLY, GRONSTAL, FRAISE, HARPER, SEXTON, McCOY, 1 8 HOLVECK, DELUHERY, SCHUERER, MADDOX, REDFERN, and 1 9 FLYNN 1 10 A Concurrent Resolution relating to the Medicaid 1 11 program and requesting assistance from the federal 1 12 government. 1 13 WHEREAS, the Medicaid program provides health and 1 14 long-term care coverage for tens of millions of 1 15 Americans; and 1 16 WHEREAS, the Medicaid program is jointly financed 1 17 with state and federal funds, with the federal 1 18 portion, the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage 1 19 (FMAP), being recalculated, annually, based on the 1 20 relationship between each state's per capita personal 1 21 income and the national average per capita personal 1 22 income over three calendar years; and 1 23 WHEREAS, the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage 1 24 for fiscal year 2003 will be based on state income for 1 25 the 1998-2000 period, which does not reflect the 1 26 current economic downturn; and 1 27 WHEREAS, in addition to the receipt of federal 1 28 funds based on the Federal Medical Assistance 1 29 Percentage, many states have relied on the use of the 1 30 upper payment limit process in the payment of public 2 1 nursing facilities and public hospitals to meet the 2 2 costs of their Medicaid programs; and 2 3 WHEREAS, the upper payment limit process under the 2 4 Medicaid program was revised in 2001 resulting in the 2 5 elimination of the upper payment limit process, after 2 6 a transition period, for all but public hospitals; and 2 7 WHEREAS, final rules published in January 2002 by 2 8 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the 2 9 United States Department of Health and Human Services 2 10 would revise the upper payment limit for public 2 11 hospitals down from 150 percent of the Medicare limit 2 12 to 100 percent, resulting in an additional reduction 2 13 in the receipt of federal funds by the states; and 2 14 WHEREAS, many states were experiencing increased 2 15 growth in Medicaid spending due to health care 2 16 inflation, rising prescription drug costs, the unique 2 17 role of Medicaid in serving elderly and disabled 2 18 populations that often have high medical costs, and 2 19 other factors, prior to the recent economic downturn; 2 20 and 2 21 WHEREAS, in times of economic downturn, due to loss 2 22 of employment and other factors, the number of people 2 23 eligible for Medicaid increases, resulting in the 2 24 competing pressures on the states to maintain or 2 25 expand their Medicaid programs while at the same time 2 26 to reduce state Medicaid spending; and 2 27 WHEREAS, state budget shortfalls that force states 2 28 to trim their Medicaid programs to reduce state 2 29 Medicaid spending may be counterproductive by 2 30 simultaneously reducing the influx into the state of 3 1 an equal or even greater amount of federal Medicaid 3 2 funds, thereby foregoing a potential stimulus to the 3 3 economy; and 3 4 WHEREAS, the federal government, unlike a majority 3 5 of the states, is not subject to a balanced budget 3 6 requirement and can therefore increase expenditures 3 7 during economic downturns; and 3 8 WHEREAS, time is of the essence in addressing the 3 9 current state budget shortfall, including the Medicaid 3 10 budget within the current fiscal year; NOW THEREFORE, 3 11 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF 3 12 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the General Assembly 3 13 of the State of Iowa urges the United States Congress 3 14 to increase the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage 3 15 rate, and to also provide a one-time supplementary 3 16 appropriation to the states under the Medicaid program 3 17 to maintain current eligibility standards and 3 18 benefits; and 3 19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the General Assembly 3 20 of the State of Iowa urges the Centers for Medicare 3 21 and Medicaid Services of the United States Department 3 22 of Health and Human Services to approve the Iowa 3 23 Medicaid state plan amendment submitted on November 3 24 26, 2001, to allow Iowa, like other states, to utilize 3 25 the upper payment limit for assessment of payments to 3 26 public hospitals; and 3 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the General Assembly 3 28 of the State of Iowa urges the President of the United 3 29 States, the Congress of the United States, and the 3 30 Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement 4 1 strategies to contain the growing costs of health care 4 2 and specifically the costs of the Medicaid program; 4 3 and 4 4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this 4 5 resolution be sent by the Secretary of the Senate to 4 6 the President of the United States, the President of 4 7 the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United 4 8 States House of Representatives, the United States 4 9 Secretary of Health and Human Services, and to all 4 10 members of Iowa's congressional delegation. 4 11 LSB 6553SS 79 4 12 pf/hk/91.1
Text: SCR00106 Text: SCR00108 Text: SCR00100 - SCR00199 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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