Topic: Time to ROCK and ROLL! Bill hearing FRIDAY!!!
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
I will move this to activism but need to get everyone's attention first... ASAP.
Please read and get ready to roll!
*** PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY ***
Hi All,
My apologies for the very short notice, not to mention lack of detail, but I was just informed by my state Rep., Peggy Reeves (who was similarly surprised with the short notice), that the Lyme bill to which she is a co-sponsor of will be given a public hearing this coming Friday, Feb. 6th, 2009 at the state capitol building in Hartford starting at 10am EST.
Representative Peggy Reeves is requesting testimony, both written and in-person, from Lyme patients and their supporters.
I'm awaiting answers to a number of questions, including whether people from out of state are invited to submit and present testimony.
Without question, if you live in CT and want to have an impact on the passage of this bill (see attached), which would help protect our doctors and our right to the treatment of our choosing, you should set aside some time and write up testimony for submission.
A good showing of support at the hearing is also critical, so if you can manage to make it, please do!!
Additional details, such as where and how to submit your testimony, will follow as soon as I have them.
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF LONG-TERM ANTIBIOTICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYME DISEASE.
To allow physicians to prescribe, administer or dispense long-term antibiotics for therapeutic purposes to patients clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease.
Introduced by: Rep. Kim Fawcett, 133rd Dist. Rep. Bob Godfrey, 110th Dist. Rep. Maryanne Hornish, 62nd Dist. Rep. Christopher Lyddy, 106th Dist. Rep. Margaret Reeves, 143rd Dist. Sen. John McKinney, 28th Dist. Rep. Joseph J Taborsak, 109th Dist. Rep. William Tong, 147th Dist. Rep. Beth Bye, 19th Dist. Rep. Bryan Hurlburt, 53rd Dist. Rep. Tony Hwang, 134th Dist. Rep. Thomas J. Drew, 132nd Dist.
My Notes Bill History Date Action Taken 1/22/2009 Referred to Joint Committee on Public Health
Co-sponsors of HB-5625 Report printed on 1/23/2009 4:06:15 AM. Please direct all inquiries regarding the status of bills to the House and Senate Clerks' Offices.
____________________________________
Text of Proposed Bill
General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 5625 January Session, 2009 LCO No. 869 Referred to Committee on Public Health
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF LONG-TERM ANTIBIOTICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYME DISEASE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: That the general statutes be amended to provide that: (1) A physician may prescribe, administer or dispense antibiotic therapy for therapeutic purpose to a person diagnosed with and having symptoms of Lyme disease if a diagnosis and treatment plan has been documented in the physician's medical record for that patient;
and (2) no physician may be subject to disciplinary action solely for prescribing, administering or dispensing long-term antibiotic therapy for a therapeutic purpose for a patient clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease, if a diagnosis and treatment plan has been documented in the physician's medical record for that patient.
Statement of Purpose:
To allow physicians to prescribe, administer or dispense long-term antibiotics for therapeutic purposes to patients clinically diagnosed with Lyme disease.
posted
Thanks, TC!
Posts: 845 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2006
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Wow! Keeping my fingers crossed. Obviously this would be a HUGE step in the right direction!!!
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Looks like and this is NOT official.. just a guessing head's up on my part for now...
Folks will probably be asked to write in to legislators to support the bill. Also to committee members. Info on where/how will be provided. Everyone can do this no matter where you live.
Busy schedule planned by legislators that day so there will be only a limited number testifying in person most likely... and they will need to have a short written testimony - usually 3 minutes is the limit... and 60 written copies of it to submit.
Going there in person to support the hearing.. being in the audience... and wearing a Lyme ribbon would be good!
Again.. this is not the official word.. just from my research so far.
So hang in there... but do please consider prepping a one page letter, with the following info suggested...
You might want to mention to the committee members and your state representatives about the difficulty that you found in getting diagnosed and treated...
And about your insurance problems..
And if you have to travel out of network or out of state for treatment.
And if long term treatment has helped you, please let them know that too.
Remember not to include the name of your LLMD or any personal medical information in your letter that you would not want to be made public.
Again.. this is NOT official.. just thinking in advance.
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