LRB-2453/2
SRM:kjf:nwn
2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
April 20, 2007 - Introduced by Senators Hansen, Robson, Lehman, Taylor,
Sullivan, Decker, Lassa, Vinehout, Kreitlow, Erpenbach, Coggs, Breske,
Plale, Risser, Miller, Carpenter, Wirch and Jauch, cosponsored by
Representatives Nelson, Soletski, Grigsby, Boyle, Shilling, Parisi, Toles,
Berceau, Vruwink, Zepnick, Kreuser, Staskunas, Krusick, Molepske,
Turner, Gronemus, Van Akkeren, Black, Jorgensen, Seidel, Hintz, Young,
Benedict, Sinicki and
Schneider. Referred to Committee on Senate
Organization.
SJR43,1,1
1Relating to: urging the president to extend SeniorCare.
SJR43,1,42
Whereas, Wisconsin's congressional delegation has made great strides to save
3SeniorCare, Wisconsin's highly successful prescription drug program for seniors,
4and should be duly thanked for their efforts to save the program; and
SJR43,1,75
Whereas, SeniorCare is set to expire on June 30, 2007, unless the federal
6government grants the state's request for a three-year waiver to continue the
7program; and
SJR43,1,108
Whereas, many of SeniorCare's current 105,000 beneficiaries, and an untold
9number of future beneficiaries, may face undue hardship if the program were to end;
10and
SJR43,1,1311
Whereas, in most cases, SeniorCare provides better coverage, is less expensive,
12and is much easier to apply for than the federal Medicare Part D prescription drug
13benefit; and
SJR43,2,3
1Whereas, unlike Medicare Part D, SeniorCare negotiates lower prices with
2drug companies and actually costs taxpayers much less than the federal program;
3and
SJR43,2,64
Whereas, the federal government spends on average about $617 per
5SeniorCare participant, almost half as much as the $1,174 it spends per Medicare
6Part D participant; and
SJR43,2,107
Whereas, SeniorCare has already saved Wisconsin seniors and taxpayers
8hundreds of millions of dollars since its inception in 2002, reducing prescription drug
9costs for more than 100,000 seniors by almost $200 million in state fiscal year 2006
10alone; and
SJR43,2,1311
Whereas, according to an analysis by AARP Wisconsin, more than 94 percent
12of seniors are better off on SeniorCare than they would be under Medicare Part D
13because the copayments are lower and the coverage is more comprehensive; and
SJR43,2,1714
Whereas, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle submitted a request to the U.S.
15Department of Health and Human Services on October 23, 2006, to extend the state's
16SeniorCare Pharmacy Plus Waiver for three years to June 30, 2010; now, therefore,
17be it
SJR43,2,21
18Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the legislature of
19the state of Wisconsin urges President George W. Bush to reverse U.S. Department
20of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt's decision not to extend the
21federal waiver that funds Wisconsin's SeniorCare program; and, be it further
SJR43,2,23
22Resolved, That the senate chief clerk shall provide a copy of this joint
23resolution to the president.
