NEWS: Public hearing on Lyme bill in PA legislature Aug 30, 2011
A legislative committee will hold a hearing on HB 272, the Lyme and Related Tick-borne Disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act. Among other things, the bill protects physicians who prescribe long-term treatment for Lyme disease, and requires insurance companies to cover such treatment.
The following was forwarded from Pennsylvania Lyme activists:
The Human Services Committee of the PA House of Representatives will hold a public hearing on HB 272, The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act.
This legislation directs the Department of Health to establish a task force to address the issues surrounding Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections. The task force is directed to investigate and make recommendations to the Department regarding the prevention of Lyme disease in the Commonwealth. The Department of Health is also directed to develop a program of public and professional education on Lyme disease in order to raise awareness of the long term effects ofmisdiagnoses and to develop public information and education on Lyme disease.
In addition, HB 272 further provides that a physician may prescribe long-term antibiotic therapy for late stage Lyme disease. The bill requires all health care insurance policies must cover treatment forLyme disease, including long term therapies, when prescribed by the treating physician.
The hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 from 10 am until 12 noon in Harrisburg, PA.
If you would like to present testimony at this hearing, please contact Elizabeth Yarnell, Legislative Analyst, Human Services Committee by August 16, 2011. If you are unable to participate in this hearing,but would like to comment on HB 272, you may submit written testimony by August 23, 2011.
Thank you for your interest in participating in the public hearing on HB 272, The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Education, Prevention and Treatment Act. The hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 in Room 60 East Wing in the Capitol Annex in Harrisburg, PA. The time is from 10 am to 12 noon.
Contact-
Elizabeth Yarnell, Legislative Research Analyst
Human Services Committee
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Republican Research
(717) 787-8110
eyarnell@pahousegop.com
Both my wife & I are "victims" of lyme disease…My wife was poorly diagnosed by a "family' doctor…He was upset when I said I wanted to see a specialist…by then my wife had to have intravenous treatment@ $10,000 a month…Very fortunately our insurance was 80/20 so they took $8000 for the month. I had to have injections in the rump… I trust the Legislators will pass the HB272
Rev. Lauren B. Meiswinkel
This will help me and my family alot! we are trying to pay for 6 people in our family to be treated and we have no idea where we are going to get the money! If this goes into effect it will be a God sent!
I have been struggling for four years now and this would be an absolute blessing. I am so much better than I was, but still struggling…..please, please, please, help us.
I read the article "PA Takes The Lead In Lyme Disease Cases" Meadville Tribune Oct. 6,2011. I would appreciate more information on House Bill 272 and would like to know why the public was not informed and made aware of the hearing held on Aug. 30, 2011 and what was the result of the hearing. If the public was invited and a press release was made availble about the hearing, what newspapers or other media outlets was it released to? I would very much like to present a program to the public in my area. Please forward information about this legislation and if possible, resources who may be able to help present programming to the public. I agree it is important to educate the public about the environment they are living in and all of the dangers they may be exposed to. To Lynn and her daughter, Jacklyn,(from Meadville,PA,-Crawford County,- I extend best wishes for many blessings and a special "Thank You" for caring about your community! Without your sharing about your personal experiences concerning this chronic illness,many individuals would not know how to seek,or receive, the treatment they may need.