Lauzen: Why I voted against state Medicaid legislation
June 24, 2012 1:14PM
Updated: July 26, 2012 6:18AM
Lauzen: Why I voted against state Medicaid legislation
In a matter of a few days on July 1, there will be a significant reduction in Medicaid benefits paid for Illinois residents that was passed through ruling majorities in the General Assembly by Governor Quinn.
Medicaid is taxpayer-paid health care for the poor and disabled administered by the state government. Expansive Medicaid eligibility and inappropriate funding of public employee benefits have led to the insolvency of the state of Illinois.
Despite nearly doubling of the Illinois income tax on individuals and employers, our unpaid bills continue to mount, essential social services to homeless shelters and people with disabilities are being drastically cut, and funding to education is being reduced. The folks who have run Illinois for the past 10 years are finally realizing that our state has a spending problem that won’t be satiated by higher and higher taxes.
Because health care — especially for the poor — seems to be such an irresistible target for politicians pandering so irresponsibly for votes and immortal public life, Medicaid benefits were increased to the point where one out of six Illinois residents are covered by taxes paid by their neighbors, the births of one out of every two babies born in Illinois is paid through Medicaid, our emergency rooms are swallowed by routine care for people breaking immigration laws, and some insurance benefits are subsidized for families of four with annual incomes as high as $75,000.
The obvious conclusion is that we just can’t afford this excess. There is a hypothesis that, as soon as Rod Blagojevich was elected governor, he began running for president — or at least vice president — hoping to use his Illinois “model” of health care to fuel his delusional political ambition. Quinn continued the coverage. All of us as taxpayers have been left with the smothering bill, and you know what happened to Blagojevich.
Reforms to eligibility are certainly necessary. However, Illinois reminds me of the dentist’s patient who waits too long to heed his doctor’s commonsense advice to floss once a day and brush twice. By the time our delinquent patient show up at the dentist’s office, teeth have to be pulled, thus destabilizing the entire jaw and face structure. This is Medicaid in Illinois.
Gradual and moderate reforms need to be made, but there are substantial reckless cuts in this new law that are “penny-wise and pound-foolish” — as you will see when this plan is implemented after July 1.
For example, Illinois Care Rx is an economical subsidy for prescription medication for the elderly poor. Cut this, and more people will go to the hospital — even more expensively ill.
Home care for elderly sick was reduced. This will lead to more people going to very expensive nursing homes. Penny-wise, pound-foolish.
Finally, when I rose during Senate debate to ask the sponsor among other things, “There will be enormous sacrifice and pain for many elderly citizens (which you conclude will be necessary) ... . Have you done anything to tighten the eligibility requirements for illegal immigrants using Medicaid for routine care?” Her answer surprised me, when she responded almost gleefully that she would never consider doing that!
With that additional nail in the coffin of the proposal, I voted “no.” In fact, the prescription medication for the poor and elderly sick is such an important and economical component of Medicaid that I am sponsoring legislation to replace this seven-tenths of 1 percent of the $10 billion Medicaid budget.
Naturally, I am always open to any of your thoughts and/or suggestions at 630-264-2334 or email at admin@lauzen.com.
Chris Lauzen
State senator, 25th District
Aurora
