Last chance for federal Lyme bill? Contact your senators now.
Soon, a major piece of health legislation is likely to be voted on by the U.S. Senate. If this happens, a bill we support–the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education and Research Act (S. 1503)–will be offered as an amendment.
To help prepare for this, we urgently need to add additional co-sponsors to the bill. Please take a moment to contact your U.S. senators to let them know how important this legislation is to you (even if you’ve already done so in the past).
The legislation would create an advisory committee within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to identify best practices to combat tick-borne diseases. The group would be comprised of patients, advocates, researchers, medical professionals, and government officials. The bill would also require the HHS Secretary to coordinate efforts to strengthen disease surveillance and reporting, develop better diagnostic tools and tests, create a physician-education program, establish epidemiological research objectives for Lyme and other tick-borne illnesses, and prepare regular reports to Congress on the progress of efforts to combat these devastating diseases.
Now is the time to speak up and make your voice heard. Ask your senators to support this bill, by co-sponsoring it and voting yes when it comes to a vote.
Voter Voice is a system that lets you easily contact your senators. You supply your name and contact information. We supply a suggested message, which you can adapt if you want. Then, the system sends your message directly to each legislator by email. There is also an opportunity to send a tweet–which will go to your senators’ Twitter accounts.
I agree with these proposals
Please help us chronic Lymies, we are suffering from so many different ailments it isn’t very pleasant, you feel some days like your dying slowing & some days like you want to die & save your family from going through all this stuff, its a awful disease & we need help & insurance to pay, people have lost their homes, & everything g because of cash up front with Lyme doctors, please help us, please
I support the amendment, but need to know what is the other legislation to which this is being attached?
At this point, we are just asking senators to co-sponsor the Lyme legislation.
Please, please help.
Please help get this bill passed!
Please pass s.1503
Please help! At this point any positive changes at all are good for us. We are tired of all the controversy! Why is it that cancer, aids, hiv, and so many other illnesses are so easily doagnosed, treated, etc.? But those of us with Lyme get treated like crap, go through tons of doctors, get little or no treatment! When is it going to be enough? When we are all dead? Insurance companies are denying us treatment! Doctors are laughing at us, turning us away, some are even being told they’re crazy! This is not ok!! What if it was your child, your spouse, your parent?? How would you handle it? Better yet, how would they??
please pass this bill, it is essential for the life of a Lymie. Many of us suffer from extremely painful neurological issues, endocrine complications, lymphatic problems and the list continues. We suffer daily in pain or continue to get sick due to the lack of funding for us. This bill must pass so insurance will cover our treatment, patients can get relief from the daily pain and suffering. We are not different from any other disease.
Denise benton stanford was diagnosed 22 years ago after losing my job ,insurance and my house .It took $10,000.00 and 10 doctors to find a dr. that would even test me for lymes .After years of cronic pain and struggling to keep my head above water i came across this web site that gives me hope that if one of my 4 children ,10 great grandchildren or 7 great grandchildren contacted lymes there will be help for themWe have been abused by the system and told we were crazy and depressedby our doctors .my own husband thinks i over react.BUT GOD BLESS HIM BECAUSE HE HAS HAD TO TAKE CARE OF ME FOR 22 YEARS .Lift us up God to endure one more day ,if that is your will ,because he has kept me alive for a reason although i wish he would call me home . I have been ready for all these years to be free of pain.I wouldnt wish this lack of life on anyone .