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2000 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 178
Encouraging Virginia's aging community, advocacy groups, and health care professional organizations to include information in their publications and activities that would educate their members about Medicaid assistance programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries.

Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2000
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 8, 2000

WHEREAS, the elderly and disabled poor with Medicare health insurance pay a very large proportion of their monthly income on out-of-pocket medical expenses; and

WHEREAS, nearly half of Virginia's Medicare beneficiaries are low-income; and

WHEREAS, low-income Medicare beneficiaries are less likely to have private supplemental insurance than are higher-income Medicare beneficiaries; and

WHEREAS, the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLIB), and Qualifying Individual (QI-1, QI-2) programs are administered through the Department of Medical Assistance Services to help pay the Medicare premiums and cost-sharing requirements for low-income elderly and disabled; and

WHEREAS, a significant proportion of Virginians eligible for these programs are not enrolled, due in part to a lack of public awareness and a lack of organized outreach programs; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that community-based efforts have the greatest success in encouraging low-income elderly and disabled individuals to enroll in these programs; and

WHEREAS, the elderly and disabled have regular contact with the aging community, advocacy groups and various health care professionals that could provide information and direct them to resources for these programs; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That Virginia's aging community, advocacy groups, and health care professional organizations be encouraged to include information in their publications and activities that would educate their members about Medicaid assistance programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries. In educating their members, the organizations are encouraged to gain and share knowledge about the benefits and general eligibility requirements for these programs and to encourage enrollment in these programs by eligible elderly and disabled individuals in their communities; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Department of Medical Assistance Services be requested to assist these various organizations in educating their respective members about the Medicaid assistance programs for low-income Medicare beneficiaries by providing enrollment and eligibility information, educational materials, and other assistance regarding the programs; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the Department of Medical Assistance Services and the Joint Commission on Health Care requesting that the Commission further distribute copies of this resolution to the various types of organizations identified so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.