posted
A legislative committee will hear H. 989, requiring insurance companies to cover physician-prescribed long-term antibiotics for Lyme disease.
From the Massachusetts Lyme Legislative Task Force:
CALL TO ACTION!
The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Financial Services has announced a hearing on H.989, An Act Relative to Lyme Disease Treatment Coverage, on Wednesday, November 13, 1:00-4:00 at the State House in Boston , Room A2. This bill will require that insurance companies cover open-ended antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease when prescribed by a physician.
WE NEED YOUR HELP, SO PLEASE attend the hearing, send written testimony, speak at the hearing, if you are able.
Tell them: Where in Massachusetts you are from. Your personal story, briefly, on how Lyme has affected you or your loved ones. The cost of Lyme (personally and economically) to you and your family. This part is important, as this hearing is before the Financial Services Committee. If you were denied your physician-prescribe d treatment by your insurance company, please tell the Committee.
If your senator or representative is also a member of the Financial Services Committee, please speak with that person before the hearing. Our elected state officials need to know that Lyme disease is serious and costly, long term treatment can be essential, and many patients are being denied this treatment by their insurance companies.
Even if you do not plan on speaking or submitting written testimony, please come! Just your presence there sends a message that this bill is important. Let’s pack the hearing room!
If you are planning on speaking, you will be limited to 3 minutes. Since we don’t want to put the chairman in the awkward position of having to cut you off, please prepare your remarks in advance (3 minutes is about 2 typed pages). Practice reading or reciting what you will say, and time yourself.
We will work to organize car pools to the hearing, so stay in touch with your support group leaders and MassachusettsLyme for more details. To send your written testimony, please email it to [email protected] or fax it to Trish McCleary at 774-241-0071.
Signed,
The Massachusetts Lyme Legislative Task Force
Helen Brown Donna Castle Janice Dey Susan Fairbank Sharon Hawkes Jayme Kulesz Trish McCleary Sheila Statlender Michelle Treseler
-------------------- KarlaL Posts: 694 | From New Lebanon, NY | Registered: Dec 2010
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'Kete-tracker
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17189
posted
WOW! this is SO much better to hear than just a Bill that allows docs to treat as they see fit w/o being reprimanded by the State medical boards... like passed here in NH not long ago.
I dont give it a snowball's chance in hell right now, due to the current strains in the health insurance industry... but it's a start!
Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
Thanks for posting this, karla. I wrote letters to 3 of my reps and forwarded to Trish. This is an amazing bill that I hope will pass!
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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