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TO MEMORIALIZE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO PROVIDE THAT ALL FUNDING OF THE MEDICAID PROGRAM SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND TO ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT THAT THE STATES PROVIDE MATCHING FUNDS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE CERTAIN TYPES OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO BE USED FOR MEDICAID PURPOSES.
Whereas, under present federal law and guidelines, states are required to provide matching funds in order to receive certain types of federal funds to be used for the federal Medicaid program; and
Whereas, this requirement for matching funds in this time of severe fiscal austerity places an undue burden on the states; and
Whereas, the Medicaid program is a federal program which is in great need of more funding and institutional reform; and
Whereas, the Congress recognized this recently through enactment of a federal tax reduction bill where unrestricted federal funds where made available to the states to deal with federal programs in distress like Medicaid which the states presently are partially responsible for funding; and
Whereas, the federal government is requiring our state's hospitals to take all people and children who come into the hospitals. This is a federal government mandate to medical facilities, and the federal government is the entity that needs to fully fund its mandate. The states cannot afford this financial burden; and
Whereas, for these reasons in addition to reforming Medicaid's eligibility requirements, the federal government should now fully fund its health care mandate; and
Whereas, the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, hereby express their belief that the federal government should fully take over the responsibility for funding the Medicaid program and until such time as this is accomplished, the Congress should enact and the President should sign legislation which would eliminate the requirement that a state provide matching funds in order to be eligible to receive certain types of federal funds to be used for the federal Medicaid program. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly memorialize the Congress of the United States to provide that all funding of the Medicaid program shall be provided by the federal government, and to eliminate the requirement that the states provide matching funds in order to receive certain types of federal funds to be used for Medicaid purposes.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the United States Senate, the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the South Carolina Congressional Delegation.
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