SENIOR SENATE PROPOSAL NO. 17

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR SENATOR ALDERSON

(COAUTHOR: SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER ANDERSON)

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SP 17: MEDICARE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE (SGR) METHOD IS USED TO CALCULATE PAYMENT FOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE AND TRICARE.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROVE A JOINT RESOLUTION THAT WOULD URGE THE CALIFORNIA DELEGATION TO CONGRESS TO PROPOSE A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO REPLACE THE SGR METHOD.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

SP 17: RELATING TO MEDICARE

WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, IN 1997, ENACTED THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE (SGR) METHOD TO USE IN CALCULATING PAYMENT FOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES UNDER MEDICARE; AND

WHEREAS, EACH YEAR THE SGR METHOD HAS RESULTED IN A DIMINUTION OF FUNDS TO BOTH MEDICARE AND TRICARE; AND

WHEREAS, THIS HAS CAUSED ANXIETY AND WORRY FOR RECIPIENTS OF MEDICARE AND TRICARE; AND

WHEREAS, EACH YEAR CONGRESS HAS DEVELOPED A TEMPORARY SOLUTION TO ADJUST THE SGR; AND WHEREAS, IT IS TIME THAT CONGRESS ENACT A PERMANENT SOLUTION; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,

BY THE SENIOR SENATE AND THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2010 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE APPROVE A JOINT RESOLUTION URGING THE CALIFORNIA DELEGATION TO CONGRESS TO PROPOSE A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO REPLACE THE SGR METHOD FOR MEDICARE AND TRICARE THAT WILL BENEFIT OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND OUR ACTIVE AND RETIRED MILITARY AND THEIR DEPENDANTS; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE TO APPROVE APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 10 14447

- 0 -