New Yorkers, the AG wants to hear your Lyme insurance story
The following message is from the Lyme Action Network, an advocacy organization based in New York state.
The Lyme Action Network recently sent a letter on behalf of the victims of Lyme disease to the office of Eric T. Schneiderman, Attorney General of New York State. Our correspondence complained about the extraordinary discrimination to which Lyme patients are subjected, particularly in terms of the routine denial by the insurance companies to cover treatment for Lyme disease.
Today we received a response from the AG’s office:
The New York State Attorney General’s office requests that Lyme patients communicate DIRECTLY with the Attorney General’s Office to describe their specific experiences in trying to get insurance coverage for the treatment of Lyme and other TBD’s.
Please use this online form:
https://www.ag.ny.gov/health-care-complaint-form?wssl=1
OR you may use this printable form that you can mail:
https://www.ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdfs/complaints/Health_Care_Complaint_Form.pdf
Mail to: State of New York, Office of the Attorney General, HEALTH CARE BUREAU, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341.
New York’s Attorney General is concerned about unfair insurance practices. His office has no way to gauge the scope of this problem and the impact on people’s lives except through YOUR response to this invitation. It is critically important that EVERYBODY in New York who has been denied Lyme disease treatment coverage by an insurance company, or who has not been able to see an ILADS doctor because they can’t afford treatment due to the fact that the doctor doesn’t take insurance (because the claims will be denied), file a complaint describing your story.
We need to prove to the Attorney General that this is not a small problem. It’s a huge problem, and we need Attorney General Schneiderman to investigate this institutionalized discrimination, and take steps to dismantle this closed, biased, and discriminatory practice.
Thank you for your participation. Please keep us posted regarding your experiences with this process.
Best regards,
Chris Fisk
—
Christina T. Fisk
President
Lyme Action Network
www.lymeactionnetwork.org
Note: This is for residents of New York state only. (Insurance issues like this are handled by individual states.) After you’ve written your message to the AG, you are invited to send a copy of it to Lyme Action Network as well, info@lymeactionnetwork.org.
I just added up what I have paid out of pocket for the past 1 1/2 years on Lyme treatment . Now I am crying. $12,939.18.
I just contacted the Hot Line for the NYS Office of the Attorney General. Wanted to download a complaint form. I have Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, GHI, SHIP, and an AARP Long Term Health Care policy. I was told to submit a letter plus supporting documentation regarding Medicare denial of payment. What is happening is just “lip service”. I have contacted Medicare and appealed numerous times. Had my claim coded and re coded. This is just pass the sick person around and maybe she will die or give up. What a joke I am going to get all my papers together and send them in to the AG and see what happens. As I said “What a joke”!