posted 02 April 2005 13:53            

Basically MORE joined in as sponsors... which is great!

Then... They struck out any wording that makes the idiots look like idiots.. like "misdiagnosis". No big deal.. we already know what they have done.

They also.. which is one of MY big gripes.. reduced Lyme Support Group members who would be on the Task Force from 4... to ONLY 2.

This is from a group (Health Department) that does NOT want to deal with the Task Force in the first place and stated so on record. They also think Lyme is NOT a big deal.. and chronic Lyme is "sterile" bacteria in the body that does NOT need treatment with antibiotics.

Then... another big gripe... the ones picking the members for the Task Force ARE the ones who don't want to deal with it... the Health Department. How much fun can we have with them? WHY have someone opposed to the IDEA of a Task Force be in charge of it? That isn't a good deal.

We also don't have insurance representatives on the Task Force.. or any members from the Board of Physicians.. or any vets... etc. We NEED to make insurance companies LISTEN.. so I would like them to be there. I WANT to work with them so we CAN get coverage.

Anyhow.. here it is... and you can see it here..

http://mlis.state.md.us/2005rs/billfile/hb1323.htm

Unofficial Copy 2005 Regular Session

HB1323/666086/1

BY: Health and Government Operations Committee

AMENDMENTS TO HOUSE BILL NO. 1323

(First Reading File Bill)

AMENDMENT NO. 1

On page 1, in the sponsor line, strike Aand Walkup@ and substitute AWalkup, Montgomery, Benson, Boutin, Bromwell, Costa, Donoghue, Elliott, Goldwater, Hammen, Hurson, Kullen, Mandel, McDonough, Morhaim, Murray, Nathan-Pulliam, Oaks, Pendergrass, and V. Turner@.

AMENDMENT NO. 2

On page 1, in line 14, strike Abut frequently misunderstood@; strike beginning with ACitizens@ in line 16 down through Acare@ in line 18 and substitute ALyme disease can be difficult to diagnose and treat@; in line 25, strike Along-term@; and in line 26, strike Aoften@ and substitute Amay@.

AMENDMENT NO. 3

On page 2, strike beginning with Ahave@ in line 4 down through Asevere@ in line 5 and substitute Alead to@; in line 12, strike Aor because of misdiagnosis@; in line 15, strike Athe lack of@; in the same line, strike Amisdiagnosis@ and substitute Atreatment@; in line 16, strike Afor testing@; and in line 30, strike Afour@ and substitute Atwo@.

AMENDMENT NO. 4

On page 3, in line 17, strike Aof the misdiagnosis@.

posted 02 April 2005 16:21            

Yes.. they are fighting. grrrrrrrrr.....

Lou..

I am sorry. I am doing 50 things at once with 1/2 of a brain and poor health. Due to the fact there are 2 bills.. and limited time.... it is crazy around here and it is hard to keep up.

I will be back later to post a letter that can be sent off... with some amendment changes suggested perhaps.

Actually thou, to tell you the truth, I am not sure at the moment about ANY of this political stuff.. and so far I THINK I want it all kicked. It LOOKS like dealing with the devil is NOT that cool. Some of the folks have the right intentions.. no doubt.. but they seem too easily swayed by others, for whatever reason?

I am HOPING to have a change of heart or at least a path to persue that I am comfortable with.. ASAP. As we speak I am getting new info which I am using to make the picture more clear.. IF that is possible.

The basic questions in MY mind are now...

1. Do we NEED a Task Force? At first I didn't think so. We needed that other bill MUCH more with the provisions. Now that it has been trashed by the amendments... what do we do?

If we do need a task force.. do we want THOSE people in charge of it.. the ones who we are ALREADY fighting us tooth and nail ... and do we want them to cut us out of the Task Force... as they have... by limiting our numbers?

2. Can we trust the folks in Annapolis who need to vote to leave the bill alone and stop trying to make it "better" in their eyes? Can't they just pass the darn thing without playing with it first? If not.. or if we don't think that is possible... should we try to kill it too?

This is all a judgement call at this point. I am a little fish in a BIG pond and I need help. I have little to NO trust in those who are in the position to influence this procedure because they have OTHER motives and for 20 years they just haven't been very nice or productive about the whole Lyme mess.

You KNOW I am NORMALLY an optimist.. but I have bad feelings about this situation.

I am certainly open to ALL suggestions while trying to sort this through.
Thanks!

posted 02 April 2005 22:17            

HA! You made me giggle with that one. And you are probably right on the money too!

Actually.. I am sitting here wondering if there aren't better ways to do this. MAYBE they would prefer to see the Board of Physicians being overwhelmed with complaints on Maryland doctors? OR..

Maybe they would prefer plain old law suits? Maybe THAT would make the word LYME seem more important to those who are not paying us any mind?

Ya think?

posted 03 April 2005 03:48               

By appointing this task force, the legislators have passed the buck to the task force.

By reading this legislation, you'll have 11 members appointed to the task force. By my count, you'll have 5 ducks, and 5 LL individuals. The toss up would be the head of the dept. of Natural Resources.

They have to appoint an ILADS member,2 support group members, a National Lyme representative. This may be a great opportunity to bring awareness to the duck camp. The legislation is set to expire a year from now, so if it doesn't work, it's going to be toast anyhow.

If you have trouble with Hopkin's ducks, you can always go back to the legislator who initiated this bill, and complain.

Look, nobody's getting treated in Maryland anyhow, what do you have to lose ? At least you have a seat at the table, it's a start.

I would seriously reconsider trying to strike down this bill. If you have reservations about this panel sending out poor, or unfair treatment protocol's, to Maryland doc's, you'll at least have the ear of the legislators, to voice your complaints.

Maryland doc's already follow the Steere camp, so really, it can't get any worse. I'd try it, take the couple of seats on the task force, and try to educate these people.

If things need to be amended, or you encounter difficulties, go back to the legislators. If you defeat this bill, what are the chances of ever having the opportunity to get a seat at the table, or get sponsors for new legislation ? I'd doubt the odds would be very good.

Look, at least the support groups have gotten their nose under the tent. Is it everything you want ? No, but you have to start somewhere.