07 LC 33
1658
Senate
Resolution 140
By:
Senators Hill of the 32nd, Heath of the 31st, Rogers of the 21st and Hudgens of
the 47th
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
the Congress of the United States to enact legislation that would amend the
Medicare program so as to authorize the use of private individual medical
accounts to assist individuals in saving the resources necessary to pay for
their health care needs in retirement; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
it is widely agreed that the Medicare program is in need of major structural
changes if it is to remain a viable alternative for the health care needs of
future generations; and
WHEREAS,
in 1996, Medicare expenditures made up 12 percent of the federal budget, more
than double the level in 1975; and
WHEREAS,
the Congressional Budget Office estimates that at the current rate, by 2006
Medicare will consume 18 percent of the federal budget – more than the
United States´ education, crime, and defense budgets combined;
and
WHEREAS,
during the lifetime of the next generation, Medicare´s income will only
cover 60 percent of its expenditures; and
WHEREAS,
the existing method of funding Medicare by taking an ever-increasing payroll tax
out of the paychecks of working Americans to pay for the medical benefits of
retired Americans is a pyramid scheme which cannot be maintained in future
years; and
WHEREAS,
in 1998, there were four workers to pay taxes to support each Medicare
beneficiary, and by the year 2030, there will only be two workers for each
beneficiary; and
WHEREAS,
in the 1996 Annual Report of Trustees of the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust
Fund, the Medicare Trustees predicted that the Medicare program would be
depleted by the year 2001.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY that the members of the U.S. Congress are urged to enact legislation amending the Medicare program to allow for the creation of a system of individual medical accounts wherein individuals will build a fund over their working careers that will provide the resources to pay for their health care needs in retirement.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GEORGIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY that the members of the U.S. Congress are urged to enact legislation amending the Medicare program to allow for the creation of a system of individual medical accounts wherein individuals will build a fund over their working careers that will provide the resources to pay for their health care needs in retirement.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to each member of the Georgia
Congressional delegation.