CHAPTER 178 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 5015 A Concurrent Resolution memorializing the Congress of the United States to rescind
provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 related to an interim payment system for
medicare home health services.
      WHEREAS,  The State of Kansas is very concerned about the health
and well-being of its senior and disabled citizens; and

      WHEREAS,  The State of Kansas believes that its senior and disabled
citizens should have access to high quality, cost-effective home health
care services; and

      WHEREAS,  Medicare beneficiaries needing the most care are being
denied access to home health services as a result of medicare payment
reforms; and

      WHEREAS,  The provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 es-
tablishing the interim payment system calling for payment cuts for med-
icare home health services will result in a cut back of those necessary
services which will lead to increased utilization of more costly settings
like emergency rooms, hospitals and nursing homes as well as shifting an
enormous financial and time consuming burden to the families of the
senior or disabled citizens; and

      WHEREAS,  The medicare home health cuts will most likely shift serv-
ice needs and costs to more expensive state programs, especially long-
term care facilities, thus resulting in an unfunded mandate to Kansas and
resulting in greater expense to both medicare and medicaid: Now, there-
fore,

      Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas,
the Senate concurring therein: That the Legislature hereby requests
Congress to rescind the provisions of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997
related to the interim payment system for medicare home health services;
and

      Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of State is hereby directed
to send enrolled copies of this resolution to the President and President
pro tempore of the Senate of the United States, to the Speaker of the
House of Representatives of the United States and to each member of
the Kansas Congressional Delegation.

 Adopted by the House February 23, 1999.
Adopted by the Senate
March 12, 1999.
__________