While the Department of Health has significant power, don't forget that we as voters also have a great deal of power IF we make our voices heard in sufficient numbers.

Since Governor Pataki would like to be President some day, he will be responsive to requests from voters throughout the country.

If you have not written and called Governor Pataki in the past two weeks, please do so .

1. Click here to email Governor Pataki: http://161.11.3.75/ Scroll to the middle of the page to send Governor Pataki an email.

Write the message...
Please sign Bill A4274b for OPMC Reform.

2. Call Governor Pataki's office:
518-474-8390
Say... "Please sign the bill for OPMC Reform , A4274b"

3. Please again be creative in getting friends, family and community organizations to do the same.

4. Please email me ([email protected]) if you are able to volunteer some time to make calls and faxes. � We will be arraanging for people to call and fax information about the law to physicians in NYS, encouraging them to contact Pataki.

5. For information on what this bill is and why we all urgently need it to protect our medical care, please see: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/026443.html

BUT, if you want the short version of why you should make the calls and write, it is so that you don't wind up losing your doctor.

This is bad news.

You said..

"The New York State Department of Health is putting a great deal of pressure on the Governor to veto the bill."

WHY on earth are they doing that?

Shouldn't we contact THEM?

I will do all of the above again.

I am just wondering if anyone knows if it matters that the same person/people call/email again and again? Or do they only count one individual(email or Ph./address) once, even if you've done the calling emailing many times?

I have done it myself several times, and asked friends several times.

I am now just doing the emails on their behalf - have done my entire address book, with their permission (as they get fed up with me asking them over and over to do the same thing).

DLL

We are more powerful than we realize! Use that power!

Need some encouragement in regard to our power when we work together? I got a booster shot by re-reading the children's book "Swimmy" by Leo Lionni available at libraries and most book stores!

We may each be a little fish, but when we swim together as a single formation we become one huge fish not to be ignored!

All,
Please make the call. It's extremely important.

Don't let this drop!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU!!!! This is what we all need to do asap.

We are all involved in some sort of group. Please make it a priority to extend this alert to make this quick and easy contact to Pataki right away.

Just imagine what it would feel like to hear this Bill was lost.

Don't let it happen. We have the strenghth in numbers of we each do ALL we can.

This is simple compared to all the years' work it took to get us this far!!

..and extremely simple compared to life without any medical care for TBD's.

There are big money interests in burying this Bill. Don't let them do it.

Thousands and thousands of voices in unison CAN pass this Bill!! NOW is our chance.

Pataki has it literally SITTING ON HIS DESK.
He's going..

"Hmmm..should I pass it, or veto it..pass it, or veto it..? I got these insurance companies balking, backed by the DOH..what to do??"

As Ellen has emphasized, he has Presidential aspirations, therefore he CARES whtn thousands across the country speak up.

Tell him what to do in great numbers. Make the decision for him. Right this terrible wrong.

He will not go against a large public outcry. Use what power we have in America and make your voices heard while we have a chance.

Mo

Up for Monday, PLEASE generate contacts.

amyb

In giving doctors due process to protect themselves, the OPMC Reform Bill will limit the power of the OPMC (and, thus, the Dept of HEalth) to get rid of any doctors they don't like.

dontlikeliver, I'm glad you asked about making repeated calls and emails to the Governor. I know I've been confusing to people about this.

Generally, we don't want people to send more than one of each in their own name. But right now , we DO want people to write and call if they have not done so since the beginning of September.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

They are ONE of the BIG reasons MOST of us are in the predictament we are in!!!

They are fighting us tooth and nail!!!

Bad, bad, bad.

Call now... please!!!!

But there have been a few times when additional calls and emails from the same person are indicated.
So keep an eye out in the alerts. I will mention when we are all to send them again.

Meanwhile, I just keep beating the bushes trying to get to those who have never written or called.

I am madder than ever now. So many Lyme patients have gotten sicker and sicker in the years since we have been fighting for this bill.

Meanwhile doctors won't treat us because of fear of losing their license.

And the @#$$@@//@ Department of Health has the nerve, the nerve , the nerve THE NERVE to complain that they might lose their precious power.

As sick people we have gotten messed over so much that it is time that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US started writing and calling Governor Pataki.

My understanding is that if we are being asked to contact Governor P. again if we haven't done so since mid-September.

Beyond your call, please ask all of your acquaintances, club members, schoolmates, religious groups, co-workers, etc. to also contact him. They could be doing themselves a huge, huge favor by protecting access to adeqate care should they or a family member struggle with Lyme in the future!

New York State
Executive Chamber,
State Capital,
Albany, NY.
12224

Oct.12th, 2004

Att: Governor George Pataki

re: OPMC reform bill A4274b

Dear Sir

It has come to our attention that you have before you legislation that will offer some level of protection to doctors who treat lyme disease (LD) in your state from the onslaught of complaints to the OPMC made by insurers and HMO's.

The climate of intimidation the family physician and/or specialist recognizes when looking at a possible case of LD in New York State has already affected Canadians who have traveled to your state.

Many have had to return home to get the necessary diagnosis and treatment because New York doctors are hesitant to make the diagnosis. This delay of treatment can result in a more serious, permanent condition.

The comments made to individuals by New York doctors indicate quite clearly that this is a very real issue in your State as I am sure you already know.

Due to the above noted problems the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation will have to consider a nationwide travel alert for Canadians unless the matter is resolved. This is not something we want to do but we feel we may have no alternative.

I know other LD organizations around the world are considering the same out of necessity.

Only if you or your loved ones contracted LD, heaven forbid, could you fully comprehend the serious, life altering ramifications. Having a doctor too intimidated to diagnose LD and offer the necessary immediate treatment is not health care, but is health industry profit control.

LD is far too serious for the politics of profit to interfere with the good work of doctors who have put so many years into their education.

Please sign bill A4274b.

Yours truly,

Jim Wilson A.I.I.C.,
President,
Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation

[This message has been edited by jimw (edited 13 October 2004).]