There is a factual error in the travel advisory that we need to correct to keep credibility.

The insurance companies make only a minority of the complaints to the OPMC. It's enough to corrupt the process and they do the OPMC to cut costs and do everything this advisory says they do.

BUT we need to keep the flyer accurate so that we are not easily discredited. Since I can't reach Jim immediately, I took the liberty of making a small change in the flyer below to make it accurate.

Thanks,
Ellen

Lyme disease awareness groups from around the world have issued this travel alert for anyone going or thinking of going to New York state...

Travel Advisory - New York State Not Safe for Tourists - Health Risk
(CLDF - Dec. 16, 2004) New York state is not a safe place for tourists. Not only do you risk contracting Lyme disease from a very tiny tick (shown at the right), you are now less likely to get a diagnosis in the state increasing the likelihood of getting the chronic form of this devastating disease. Immediate treatment is the key to beating this illness.

New York state has an epidemic of Lyme disease on its hands, moreso than any other state. It is estimated that there over 50,000 cases per year and this number is growing.

Governor George Pataki used his veto power to nix a bill that would enable doctors who diagnose the disease to defend themselves from unjust harassment by the medical disciplinary board. These complaints are often from insurers who have a direct financial interest in reducing the number of prescriptions written to treat victims. This lobby group is a powerful entity and obviously Pataki listened.

Several doctors practices have been swarmed by the disciplinary board, which was more about protecting the bottom line of insurers than protecting the health of victims of disease.

Insurers and HMO's have a financial interest in NOT having lyme disease diagnosed in this or any other state due to them having to pay the cost to treat the epidemic. Their plan is simple and effective, no diagnosis...no cost. Shareholders are happy.

The level of fear and intimidation among doctors is very real. Many have said they will not diagnose the most obvious cases of lyme disease. Tourists will likely have to return to their own state or country in order to get diagnosed and treated. By then the disease will have spread throughout the body.

Most people do not know they have been bitten by a tick, and you are not safe anywhere in the state...downtown anycity or out in the country. In the cracks of a house, baseboards, in the front lawn, garden, a park, anywhere could be lurking the tick you will not see, but which may destroy your life as you once knew it. If you are unable to get immediate diagnosis and treatment you are at risk of developing serious complications.

Lyme disease (borreliosis) is a serious disease that infects the brain, lungs, heart, kidney's, liver and joints as well as other systems in the body. Death can occur although it is considered rare.

You do not want this disease

this will give you the rate per population of infection in ny by county per from 2000-2002, released august 2004.

the mean "reported" avg is 24.9 people per 100,000 between the years 2000-2002. (actual rate as we all know is much higher as this only counts CDC positive criteria).

there is a map available on ny doh website as well that shows the hotsposts for lyme. they are exclusively on the border of ct. the map is available in pdf format.

similar information is available from the ct doh website.

you almost may want to include in your letter a statement once made by Governor Pataki, who has himself battled Lyme disease :

``New Yorkers must take tick-borne diseases seriously. Public Awareness, prevention measures, and prompt treatment all play an important role in minimizing the health impact of Lyme Disease.''

But I like the other one better.

This new one is too "political" to grab a regular "Joes" attention and keep it... in MY opinion. Ya think?

My guess is folks don't want to read that political whining garbage before a trip when they want to go have fun! That is WHY they go on vaction.. to get away from that stupid stuff.

Blunt tonight.. ain't I?

I DO however.. want to be sure the information is accurate... and I am glad you pointed that out.

What statement exactly is NOT accurate?

Also.. I want a link with the info I am sending out so who ever opens it can go to that link.. and it doesn't look like I am "making up" the information without back up.

How do you like me NOW?

Hey Zip...

Wanna dance?

Thanks...I made the correction.

zipzip

As for statistics here is a link to your federal gov't statistics for total numbers of confirmed cases (which we all know the CDC reported were under estimated ten fold)

New York - 69,000 Connecticut - 37,000

scroll sideways on the page for more recent info.
http://www.canlyme.com/confirmedUScasesto2003.html

[This message has been edited by jimw (edited 18 December 2004).]

This board makes me laugh at the hair splitting.

I thought this was a fight for the collective rights of a group such as patients, or doctors, to a fair hearing.

When was the last time your average ID doc gave you a fair hearing?...about the same time the average doctor got a fair hearing from the OPMC.

jim i was speaking in terms of case ratio. ny has 7 times the population of ct and a bigger square acreage than ct by far.

but... not even twice the "reported", (i don't count) cases.

hence the infection rate in ct is seemingly much higher. but they are bordering states and the area in ny with the highest infection rate borders ct, which is columbia, dutchess, greene, and putnam counties.

so really there is one big hot spot east of the hudson river stretching just north of new york city to albany and then east to the conneticut shore.

that's lyme ground zero.

Atorney General blumenthal of CT knows this but has been cock-blocked at every turn, even the CDC has rebuked his formal requests to speak on the subject.

NY senator Schumer has also tried to get 10 million for funding for lyme in the area i'm speaking of but has so far been fillerbusted in congress.

Pataki has been the only political roadblock. i've already contacted Attorney General Spitzer of NY who is a lock for NY governor in 2006 and they are interested in this dilemma, especially as it concerns lyme.

they have invited me to post a blog on their health forum when their site is fully functional (he only declared to run in the last couple of weeks).

i live here i know what the dilly is....

i wouldn't pretend to know the state of things in canada. i know paul martin is your pm, your country has a thingfor maple leafs, montreal has good titty bars and vancouver has a trolly service.

but canlyme is a VERY good website btw.

if you go to the website for the ny state doh dept of health there is a map that shows the area of greatest prevalance of infection rate. very interesting. check it out.

you can do the same at the ct doh.

not trying to sound like the know it all cheese, just setting the record straight, as far as i know it.

I am from Montreal, and you are right about what you said, even 40 years ago.

By the way, I now live about 30 miles outside of downtown Vancouver. What is a "trolley" service?

Now as for maple leafs, well we have the Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey team). We have very good different qualities of maple syrup, but I don't think many people use it. When I lived in New Brunswick many years ago on a farm, made my own maple syrup, took me a long time to make but well worth it. As a sweetener, it's great.

In Quebec, can go for sugaring off parties in afternoon, have a fantastic meal afterwards, then on to some great square dances in the local barns. Quebec in the winter is a great place.

So my question again, what's a "trolley service"

Corinne

you have lived in some VERY beautiful places.

best wishes...

zip

You're just tired of me bossing you around, knowing that that is one of my favorite hobbies.

Did I mention that I thought it was brilliant for you to send the flyer to the Dept. of Parks in NYS?? ( Even though I didn't tell you to do it. LOL!! )
Love,
Bozo
PS Anyone who has ever been at a party with Ms Cup, knows why I called her Fruithat. Why she calls me Bozo , on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. Why is that, Tincup?

quote:

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Originally posted by Tincup:
No offense Bozo...

But I like the other one better.

This new one is too "political" to grab a regular "Joes" attention and keep it... in MY opinion. Ya think?

My guess is folks don't want to read that political whining garbage before a trip when they want to go have fun! That is WHY they go on vaction.. to get away from that stupid stuff.

Blunt tonight.. ain't I?

I DO however.. want to be sure the information is accurate... and I am glad you pointed that out.

What statement exactly is NOT accurate?

Also.. I want a link with the info I am sending out so who ever opens it can go to that link.. and it doesn't look like I am "making up" the information without back up.

How do you like me NOW?

Hey Zip...

Wanna dance?

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