Bill Text: AZ SCM1002 | 2010 | Forty-ninth Legislature 2nd Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Health care reform
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-04-20 - Transmitted to Secretary Of State [SCM1002 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2010-SCM1002-Engrossed.html
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Senate Engrossed |
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State of Arizona Senate Forty-ninth Legislature Second Regular Session 2010
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SENATE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 1002 |
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A Concurrent Memorial
urging Congress to ensure that any federal health care reform legislation has a minimal fiscal impact on the states.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
To the Congress of the United States:
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
Whereas, the State of Arizona is currently facing an unprecedented budget crisis with a deficit of $1.5 billion for state fiscal year 2009-2010 and $3.4 billion in state fiscal year 2010-2011; and
Whereas, the Arizona Legislature has already made and must continue to make dramatic cuts to vital education, public safety, health and welfare programs to address the state's budget crisis; and
Whereas, Arizona is one of six states that has voluntarily expanded its Medicaid coverage up to one hundred per cent of the federal poverty limit, resulting in a dramatic increase over the past decade in both population and costs; and
Whereas, the United States Congress is currently pursuing a health care reform proposal that includes significant mandated Medicaid expansion; and
Whereas, both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate proposals include a mandated maintenance of effort stipulation that requires states to maintain their current Medicaid programs at existing levels; and
Whereas, the current spending level of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System program is unsustainable given the state's dire fiscal condition, and the proposed maintenance of effort requirement leaves Arizona without the flexibility to control Medicaid spending; and
Whereas, the United States Senate proposal is currently projected to cost Arizona an additional $4 billion through 2020; and
Whereas, the United States Senate bill inexplicably contains inequitable policy treatment towards expansion states like Arizona, resulting in a projected penalty of over $15 billion during a seven-year period for Arizona alone; and
Whereas, the United States Senate bill contains a number of other policies that favor particular states like Nebraska solely for political gain; and
Whereas, Arizona taxpayers will not only be forced to support the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System but will also see tax increases and Medicare service reductions to pay for health care expansion costs in other states and special deals; and
Whereas, the continued administration of the Medicaid program in Arizona as mandated in federal health care reform proposals will deplete Arizona's General Fund at the expense of critical public education, health and safety programs.
Wherefore your memorialist, the Senate of the State of Arizona, the House of Representatives concurring, prays:
1. That the United States Congress ensure that any federal health care legislation contain an equitable distribution of Medicaid funding through a formula that considers caseload growth, state revenues available to maintain required services and state budget shortfalls in meeting the federal requirement.
2. That the United States Congress consider flexibility for states to adjust services if federal assistance is not sufficient to meet the federal requirement.
3. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
