Great News!! The PA House "Human Services Committee" has House Bill 272 (Lyme Disease) & is going to vote to bring this bill out of committee NEXT WEEK!! Here's a recap of what is going on with this bill:
- Since then amendments have been made to make the bill better - for example, surveillance program and testing of ticks publishing the data publicly has been added.
- We received the call yesterday - the Chair of the committee, Rep. DiGirolamo - indicating there is enough support to bring the bill out to the House Floor - this decision will be made formally by the committee next week in the Dec 14th in their committee meeting.
We have been told that it is absolutely critical that YOU contact members of the Human Services committee BEFORE 12/14, especially those that are in YOUR district, or those near your district.
Many are in the Northeast, and Pittsburgh area and Southeast areas. Ask for their support on this bill, and to get it out for a vote. Educate them regarding it's importance:
- patients/doctors should have the choice of treatment approach, not insurance companies (just like breast cancer)
- these treatment options are available for acne, and many other diseases, it makes no sense that Lyme disease patients, with much more serious disease, should not have access to these treatments that can be life-saving
- insurance companies should pay for the treatment prescribed by the doctor
- the harm to patients is unconscionable
- PA is #1 in Lyme disease, and the time to act is NOW
Find YOUR REPRESENTATIVE OR A NEIGHBORING ONE (doesn't have to be yours as long as they are generally in your region) ON THE COMMITTEE LIST BELOW, and call and email them -- ask them to vote to bring the bill out of committee!! THIS IS THE TIME TO ACT!!
The Committee list is below -- committee cosponsors are highlighted - Baker, Cohen, Killian, Murt, Watson.
President of MontCoLyme (Montgomery County (PA) Lyme Information and Support Group)[email protected] MontCoLyme - 211 Main Street, North Wales, PA 19454 888-661-LYME (888-661-5963) (for general calls to MontCoLyme)
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[ 12-14-2011, 09:25 PM: Message edited by: 17hens ]
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
Hey hey many hens,
Do you have the link to the actual bill, with amendments? Please share!
HB 272 was unanimously passed out of the committee, and will go directly to the House of Representatives for a vote, hopefully early 2012.
Let's continue to maintain the momentum and the passion.
The House vote and the SENATE vote is critical to the passing of this vital piece of legislation.
Though this is a victory- our work has only just begun. Again, this is no small victory, but not the whole enchilada yet. Hang tight. :-)
Posted by Rivendell (Member # 19922) on :
This is a beginning. Good News!
Posted by Cracker Jack (Member # 34734) on :
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)