S. C. R. No. 19 As Introduced

As Introduced

128th General Assembly

Regular Session

2009-2010

S. C. R. No. 19

Senator Grendell

Cosponsors: Senators Gibbs, Hughes, Schaffer

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To urge the President and the Congress of the United 1
States to protect the rights of seniors when 2
considering proposals for health care reform. 3

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, The President and the Congress of the United States 4
are engaged in a critical debate about health care reform; and 5

       WHEREAS, Seniors have earned the right to be treated with 6
dignity and respect; and 7

       WHEREAS, The Medicare program created in 1965 provided health 8
insurance to an estimated 44.8 million beneficiaries in 2008, 9
including 37.6 million seniors; and 10

       WHEREAS, Medicare benefits are critically important to 11
seniors and must not be reduced to fund health care reform; and 12

       WHEREAS, Medicare beneficiaries should not be forced to 13
accept changes to their Medicare coverage to fund a new health 14
care program; and 15

       WHEREAS, There is concern that health care reform proposals 16
under consideration could reduce patients' power to control their 17
own medical decisions and create government boards to decide 18
whether treatments are funded; and 19

       WHEREAS, There are further concerns that health care reform 20
could include programs leading to rationing of medical treatment 21
based on age; and 22

       WHEREAS, The government should not interfere with end-of-life 23
discussions between a doctor and patient; and 24

       WHEREAS, The government should honor its promises to our 25
seniors who are veterans by preserving Tricare and other military 26
retiree benefit programs; now therefore be it 27

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 128th General Assembly 28
of the State of Ohio, urge the President and Congress to protect 29
the rights of seniors when debating health care reform; and be it 30
further 31

       RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 128th General Assembly 32
of the State of Ohio, urge the President and Congress of the 33
United States to reject any health care reform proposal that would 34
jeopardize those rights by reducing Medicare benefits, forcing 35
seniors to accept changes to their Medicare coverage, interfering 36
with the doctor-patient relationship, rationing health care based 37
on age, injecting the government into end-of-life care 38
discussions, or raising health care costs for military veterans; 39
and be it further 40

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit authenticated 41
copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, 42
the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker 43
of the United States House of Representatives, each member of the 44
Ohio Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio. 45

WHEREAS, The President and the Congress of the United States	4
are engaged in a critical debate about health care reform; and	5

WHEREAS, Seniors have earned the right to be treated with	6
dignity and respect; and	7

WHEREAS, The Medicare program created in 1965 provided health	8
insurance to an estimated 44.8 million beneficiaries in 2008,	9
including 37.6 million seniors; and	10

WHEREAS, Medicare benefits are critically important to	11
seniors and must not be reduced to fund health care reform; and	12

WHEREAS, Medicare beneficiaries should not be forced to	13
accept changes to their Medicare coverage to fund a new health	14
care program; and	15

WHEREAS, There is concern that health care reform proposals	16
under consideration could reduce patients' power to control their	17
own medical decisions and create government boards to decide	18
whether treatments are funded; and	19

WHEREAS, There are further concerns that health care reform	20
could include programs leading to rationing of medical treatment	21
based on age; and	22

WHEREAS, The government should not interfere with end-of-life	23
discussions between a doctor and patient; and	24

WHEREAS, The government should honor its promises to our	25
seniors who are veterans by preserving Tricare and other military	26
retiree benefit programs; now therefore be it	27

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 128th General Assembly	28
of the State of Ohio, urge the President and Congress to protect	29
the rights of seniors when debating health care reform; and be it	30
further	31

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 128th General Assembly	32
of the State of Ohio, urge the President and Congress of the	33
United States to reject any health care reform proposal that would	34
jeopardize those rights by reducing Medicare benefits, forcing	35
seniors to accept changes to their Medicare coverage, interfering	36
with the doctor-patient relationship, rationing health care based	37
on age, injecting the government into end-of-life care	38
discussions, or raising health care costs for military veterans;	39
and be it further	40

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit authenticated	41
copies of this resolution to the President of the United States,	42
the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, the Speaker	43
of the United States House of Representatives, each member of the	44
Ohio Congressional delegation, and the news media of Ohio.	45