Lyme Disease bill vetoed The Business Review (Albany) - 2:08 PM EDT Thursday
Gov. George Pataki has rejected a bill that would have added Lyme Disease to the list of occupational diseases for the purposes of workers' compensation eligibility in New York state.
The governor, who had the disease, said the Workers' Compensation Board and the State Insurance Fund both told his office that the board already has the discretion to consider Lyme Disease an occupational illness depending on the circumstances of individual cases.
He said that bill naming the kinds of workers who would be eligible for benefits might preclude workers in other occupations from receiving benefits on bona fide claims. The legislation would have defined eligible workers as those involved in "farming, landscaping operations, tree pruning, spraying, repairing, or related occupation which creates exposure to Lyme Disease-carrying organisms or care or handling of animals."
Pataki said the Workers' Compensation Board told him it has granted benefits for Lyme Disease absences to workers in construction, towing and other industries not mentioned in the legislation.
"Since existing law already provides the board with the authority to award benefits to workers who contract Lyme Disease in the course of their employment, I am reluctant to approve any measure that could be interpreted as limiting such authority," Pataki said in a veto message released by his office Thursday.
Lyme Disease is carried by deer ticks. It can deliver a debilitating neurological blow to its victims. Antibiotics are used to treat the disease, once it is properly diagnosed.
[ 16. September 2006, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: Lou B ]
Posts: 4 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2006
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bettyg
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newbie, please post the entire article for us. This requires us to be registered. I don't want to register & neither will many lymies.
We'd appreciate your help since we are drawing our attention to whatever lyme bill in question. Thank you! Bettyg
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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bettyg
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Tutu, thanks for the link & article!
Newbie, would you edit your topic line to clarify this is the NY WORKERS COMP lyme bill?
Just click on the PENCIL, and go to the top like adding those words please. Send edit button.
We have 2 legislative bills on LYME/CO-INFECTIONS TASK FORCE in Washington DC that we have been lobbying on and especially the LYME PETITION you can read all about in this section and all other sections.
Please sign, show your state, & YOUR COMMENTS. Get your family/friends involved in signing too.
Thanks so much for posting this and joining us. Bettyg
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