Bill Text: IL SJR0046 | 2009-2010 | 96th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Resolves that enhanced federal matching funds must first be used to pay past-due Medicaid bills to providers whose payment cycles must be at 30 days prior to June 1, 2009 for the State to continue to receive the enhanced federal matching funds and that the State direct all other necessary resources to paying such past-due Medicaid bills.

Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-05 - Added as Chief Co-Sponsor Sen. Dale A. Righter [SJR0046 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2009-SJR0046-Introduced.html

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SJ0046 LRB096 11680 DRJ 22334 r
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has
been duly passed by the United States Congress and signed into
law on February 17, 2009 by President Barack Obama; and
WHEREAS, Among its many provisions, the Act provides
additional Medicaid assistance to the states through enhanced
federal matching funds for 27 months beginning in April of
2009; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that Illinois will be eligible to
receive an estimated $3 billion as a result of the enhanced
federal matching funds over the 27-month period; and
WHEREAS, Eligibility will be contingent, in part, on
Medicaid providers being paid in a timely fashion; and
WHEREAS, Medicaid providers are forced to bear the
financial burden of the State's failure to pay Medicaid bills
on time, which forces providers to absorb the costs of
short-term borrowing to keep their programs afloat; and
WHEREAS, Failure to timely pay providers for services
rendered not only places the State's service delivery system at
risk, but threatens the lives, safety, and well-being of

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Illinois' poor, many of whom are the very oldest and very
youngest in our State; and
WHEREAS, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act not
only provides Illinois with the opportunity to correct this
problem, but indeed requires the State to reduce payment cycles
to 30 days by June 1, 2009 for many Medicaid providers to
qualify for the enhanced federal matching funds; and
WHEREAS, This 3-month grace period provides Illinois with a
window of time to address the chronic payment cycle problems
that have plagued the State's Medicaid reimbursement system;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CONCURRING HEREIN, that enhanced federal matching funds must
first be used to pay past-due Medicaid bills to providers whose
payment cycles must be at 30 days prior to June 1, 2009 for the
State to continue to receive the enhanced federal matching
funds; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois direct all other
necessary resources to paying past-due Medicaid bills to
providers whose payment cycles must be at 30 days prior to June
1, 2009 for the State to continue to receive the enhanced

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matching funds to the extent that enhanced federal matching
funds are insufficient to meet the 30-day mandate; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the General Assembly, in cooperation with
the Governor, the Attorney General, the Comptroller, and the
Treasurer take all necessary actions to meet this priority; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
delivered to the Governor, the Attorney General, the
Comptroller, and the Treasurer.