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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 23
BY SENATOR N. GAUTREAUX
CONGRESS. Memorializes Congress to remove financial eligibility requirements for
patients stricken with ALS to be approved to receive Medicaid.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To memorialize the Congress of the United States to remove the financial eligibility2
requirements for patients stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to be approved3
to receive Medicaid.4
WHEREAS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, is better known as "Lou Gehrig's5
disease"; and6
WHEREAS, ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by degeneration7
of cell bodies of the lower motor neurons in the gray matter of the anterior horns of the8
spinal cord; and9
WHEREAS, the initial symptom of ALS is weakness of skeletal muscles, especially10
those of the extremities; and11
WHEREAS, as ALS progresses, the patient experiences difficulty in swallowing,12
talking, and breathing; and13
WHEREAS, ALS eventually causes muscles to atrophy, and the patient becomes a14
functional quadriplegic; and15
WHEREAS, research indicates that military veterans are at a fifty percent greater risk16
of developing ALS than those who have not served in the military; and17
WHEREAS, ALS does not affect a patient's mental capacity, so that the patient18 SCR NO. 23
SLS 10RS-406 ORIGINAL
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remains alert and aware of his loss of motor functions and the inevitable outcome of1
continued deterioration and death; and2
WHEREAS, on average, patients diagnosed with ALS only survive two to five years3
from the time of diagnosis; and4
WHEREAS, ALS has no known cause, means of prevention, or cure; and5
WHEREAS, there can be significant costs for medical care, equipment, and home6
health caregiving later in the disease; and7
WHEREAS, many families deplete their life savings attempting to pay for the care8
of their loved ones; and9
WHEREAS, the financial burden associated with ALS for American families is10
enormous.11
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana memorializes12
the Congress of the United States to remove the financial eligibility requirements for patients13
stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to be approved to receive Medicaid.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted15
to the secretary of the United States Senate and the clerk of the United States House of16
Representatives and to each member of the Louisiana delegation to the United States17
Congress.18
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Bobbie Hunter.
DIGEST
N. Gautreaux SCR No. 23
Memorializes Congress to remove the financial eligibility requirements for patients stricken
with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to be approved to receive Medicaid.