Re: Phyllis: Activists Say YIKES We need to KILL the MD BILL! LOL

Well I have to laugh at this and I have to say: I FREAKING TOLD YOU
SO!!! And so did der dritte mann.

For doing that, for warning that this could and might and probably
would happen, we were excoriated--for GOD FORBID criticizing the Lyme
"activists" and "leaders"

Now WHO is going to take responsibility for this? Who is accountable?

This is OUR fault. And no one can say that the sheep in Lymeland
weren't warned explicitly.

Yet did they learn ANYTHING?

No obviously not. Because now they're supporting the CALIFORNIA bill
without thought. How many of the SHEEP who send emails in response to
"action alerts" even bother to read the legislation that they're told
to support?

Do outcomes like this make them hesitate? NO of course not. In fact I
read on one of the "support the california bill" threads that they
wanna do it in Wisconson now.

These people no matter how well meaning are freaking dangerous.

Who is going to save us from ourselves?

***************************************************************************

The update on the Maryland bills- YIKES! - LymeNet Flash
http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/032966.html

Author Topic: The update on the Maryland bills- YIKES!
Tincup
Frequent Contributor
Posts: 1675
From: The Moon
Registered: Jun 2004
posted 02 April 2005 11:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greetings fellow Lyme Net Members..
We have a problem.

If you can take time to follow this process.. of getting bills passed
from a grass roots effort.... it MIGHT help YOU in YOUR state and
prevent you from doing things that are going get messed up.

My motto- Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.



I just arrived home from out of state, late last night... and while
gone I had a long conversation with folks in some of the political
offices about the 2 bills.. trying to check all options and get help
with the NEW problems facing us.

1. Maryland Senate Bill SB 596

2. Maryland House Bill HB 1323 Lyme Disease Task Force Bill

First.. let me say the folks in Annapolis, MD think you all have done a
VERY fine job with presenting the bills and supporting them. They feel
we have reached the hearts of those in the House and Senate... and they
are ALL for helping us... which can be seen by the unanimous votes we
got on EVERYTHING!!!

GOOD for YOU!

Thank you for your efforts to help us and eventually yourselves and our
future generations. We all did what we needed to do... honorably and
beautifully. And YOU are the reason why this bill was passed so far and
had ANY attention paid to it. Thank you!

As for the hearings...

The biggest problems with the hearings were that we were allowed only 3
minutes each to fully educate a group of decent.. but admittedly
non-Lyme literate... folks who wanted to help us. Unfortunately,
also... some of the folks we are dealing with were "tight" with the
state Health Department and/or Hopkins.. who basically have been major
pain in the necks in this state concerning Lyme disease. Of course that
is something we have no control over.. and have to try to work around.

Anyhow...

After seeing the politcal process through to this point... I have noted
we suddenly have some BIG problems.

Basically... we need to kill the Maryland Lyme Disease (SB 596) bill...
ASAP. We need to work as hard killing it as we did supporting it.

It has changed. It is no longer the nice bill we submitted.

It WAS a beautiful bill that has been basically hit by a hurricane from
outta no where. Our nice happy bill has been axed somehow and changed
into a monster.

Since there is no way to "pull" the Senate Bill 596 out of the process
at this time (I tried).. we are now stuck with it in the amended
hurricane damaged form, which in MY opinion is another disaster waiting
to happen.

Now.. you ask.. what the HECK happened? Well.. that is just what I have
been asking!

It seems the folks in Annapolis have the "right" to change our bill in
any way they want.. which they did... unexpectedly... and which made
everything different and put us in a worse situation!

If this bill passes in the new amended form... I foresee us not only
having to fight like we already are for every treatment, every
insurance dollar, and every decent doctor.... but to have to fight even
MORE for those things!

What it basically says now is the Maryland Board of Physicians way of
thinking about Lyme treatment is THE way to go.. and THEY will dictate
to all Maryland doctors HOW to treat Lyme disease in the form of a
yearly letter to them!!!

But most importantly .. it has taken away the doctors protection, the
ability to have long term treatment, and the insurance coverage.. and
THOSE THINGS are what our original bill was all about and are what we
REALLY NEEDED!



I have researched the Maryland Board of Physicians members to see if
there was a chance we would be ok with the amended form of the bill and
to see if there was a chance this was a better version.

I am dismayed to learn that most, if not all of the members, have a
link to Hopkins, and/or insurance companies, and/or the Health
Department, and/or the Infectious Disease groups and/or the old
Maryland Board of Physicians.

I learned that the old Board of Physicians was accused not too long
ago.. by some folks... to be so one sided they had to have a law
enacted to reorganize the whole group and basically clean house. It
seems they were accused of being biased on the doctors side of an
argument... and are possibly atempting to START to clean up their
reputations with the passage of a new bill? Will they be better? With
members linked to the organizations above... I won't hold my breath.

Sooooooooooo.. all in all.. not great news for us!

I see (from experience and from knowing what I do after 15 years of
fighting this stuff) .. and admittedly from some paranoia about what
COULD happen.... and the true desire in my heart to HELP Lyme
patients... that the current Board of Physicians could possibly hand
out limited duck guidelines on treatment that will NOT be in our favor
or improve the situation and get us treatment.. will NOT get us
insurance coverage... and will NOT protect our doctors.

It will be THEIR version of Lyme treatment... most likely without OUR
input.

Keep in mind. the Health Department has claimed after basic treatment
that Lyme is "sterile" and there is NO live bacteria present and no
need for aditional antibiotics. And Hopkins.. well we ALL know about
them.. their horrible track record with tick borne diseases.. and their
MAGIC PILL THEORY (one pill prevents/cures Lyme after a tick bite)..
and their link to big ducks... and the nightmare position many folks
were left in after being seen there... etc. NOT PRETTY!

If we are allowed "input" (like meetings with the Health Department or
the Board).. which I feel they are attempting to do right now to set up
just another horse and pony show at this time to save face or ACT like
they are doing something about the problem.. after bluntly saying they
didn't think it was needed and they were doing a "fine" job already...
and Rabies was more important.. and they don't have time to fool with
it.. blah blah blah..

Anyhow.. how can we know ANYONE will follow OUR suggestions at this
point.. or the ILADS guidelines... especially after the example before
us now, where the whole bill we submitted (and which had hundreds of
people supporting it) was gutted and replaced with a monster without
our knowledge or permission?

This amended form also possibly puts any Maryland doctors (and other
states who use this bill, if passed) who are trying to treat us.. or
who are on the fence... in REAL trouble. If the Board of Physicians
Lyme treatment guidelines are issued to all Maryland doctors.. like
this bill requires... then the doctors who do not "stick" with these
guidelines may possibly be opened up to charges for not following THAT
protocol. ???

There are MANY possible negative consequences to think about if this
bill passes like it is now.

In my opinion... we need to respectfully let the House know that the
Senate Bill SB 596.. in the current amended form... is NOT what we
want!! SHOUT IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS!

The House members already think they helped us by passing the Lyme
Disease Task Force Bill.. which I will discuss further later.. but
basically they have no clue of the problems which can arise if the
Senate bill passes in the form it is in now.

The other individual members of both the House and Senate THINK they
are doing the "good" thing for us... but just don't know Lyme... or our
total situation... bless their hearts.

We need to remember the Senate voted this through with the thought of
it HELPING us. They ARE trying to HELP us... so we need to let them
know we do appreciate their assistance and NOT knock them in the
head... which is what MY first reaction was until I checked into it
more.

They just don't understand the possible consequences of the bill in the
amended form... and at this time we don't have enough time to do much
at all except kill the bill... IF we can... and hopefully try again at
a later date.. or go with another approach.

May I suggest?

EVERYONE start writing and making calls immediately to every House
member in Maryland since that is where the bill is headed at this
point.

Ask the HOUSE members NOT pass the Senate bill SB 596 in the amended
form.

Tell them it is NOT good for Lyme patients. Tell them we would rather
wait for a year until the Lyme Disease Task Force Bill they already
passed has had time to "do it's job"... and THANK them for their help
on BOTH bills.

Seems even in politics there is a turf war of sorts.. and asking the
House to KICK a Senate bill, well it just might make them smile...
since the one THEY passed MAY get supported by us??

I will write later about MY opinions on the House bill. Right now.. I
smell breakfast cooking!

PS... The above is all MY opinion... so please keep that in mind.

I will also make a new post so it is in MUCH simpler form as to what is
needed to be done.

Again I thank you for listening and helping us through the process.
Without you we would be no where.

***************************************************************************





a_weisman@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> a_weisman@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > Phyllis: Isn't this EXACTLY what several of us (der dritte mann and
> I)
> > said could happen?
> >
> > That the bill would turn out AGAINST us?
> >
> > Tincrapforbrains says that they were "LUCKY" to get the bill
killed.
> IT
> > claims not to be politically saavy. And "shocked" that this could
> > happen?
> >
> > But that is exactly why they shouldn't do this. They're NOT
> politically
> > saavy, they are totally naive and amateurish. They are LUCKY and so
> are
> > Lyme patients but it was blind dumb luck.
> >
> > See the problem in MD and most places is NOT that doctors are
afraid
> to
> > treat a certain way, NOT that they need protection to do so. We're
> only
> > talking about a few dozen doctors anyhow. The problem is that there
> is
> > only a few dozen doctors. That burrascano style treatment is NOT
the
> > majority view and is NOT very well documented nor are the
> practitioners
> > very well credentialed.
> >
> > So ask for it and you might receive it. They asked for MD to pass a
> > bill and turns out it was more likely to reflect the majority view
> (and
> > we're talking over 99% of physicians) rather than that of a tiny
> small
> > not well credentialed minority (and if Burrascano is the "leader"
> > remember that amongst his curriculum vitae is that he was
disciplined
> > for practicing medicine negligently on more than one occasion, and
it
> > had to do with his treatment of Tickborne disease. Not a great
> > credential to present to the Senate.
> >
> > All of the bills have this basic failing in vision--there is no
> > understanding of what the problem really is so the "solutions" not
> only
> > don't fix the "problem" but are likely to be turned against us.
> >
> > In MD there was NO problem with doctors being harassed investigated
> or
> > disciplined.
> >
> > So why try to fix what wasn't broken?
> >
> > This could have been a HUGE disaster. And nearly was. And the MD
> folks
> > wanted this to be viewed for a model on how to do this sort of
thing?
> >
> > NOT.
> >
> > And I freaking told you so.
> >
> > Will you or any of them EVER LEARN?
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
***************************************************************************
> >
> > http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum3/HTML/012269.html
> >
> > Tincup
> > Frequent Contributor
> > Posts: 1672
> > From: The Moon
> > Registered: Jun 2004
> > posted 28 March 2005 09:59
> >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Actually.. this is good news and bad news.
> > Sen. Paula Hollinger decided (alone or with others?).. for some
> > reason(?).. to change the wording of the bill AFTER it was
> submitted...
>
> Which happens ALL the time. If you don't know that, you shouldn't be
> trying to lobby for legislation because you don't understand the
> process.
>
> And it might turn out against you.
>
> > to say that the Maryland State Board of Physicians (part of the
> Health
> > Dept and under the leadership of the Governor- who both have been a
> > TOTAL nightmare concerning this situation for years)... anyhow...
>
> So what did you expect?
>
> A few patient stories would trump all of this?
>
> As someone actually said later on this thread, one Hopkins doctor
> trumps a thousand patient stories.
>
> > The altered bill wanted THEM (Board of Physicians) to send out info
> to
> > doctors across the state on how to treat or NOT treat Lyme disease!
>
> Again, what did you nitwits expect?
>
> >She
> > (or someone) removed nearly the entire bills contents and replaced
it
> > with the lines about the Board of Physicians telling doctors the
> > guidelines and what to do or not do for Lyme patients.
>
> Again, what did you morons expect?
>
> > Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
> >
> > TOTAL NIGHTMARE!
>
> And predictable too!
>
> If you had a freaking clue.
>
> If you weren't so caught up in your self righteous zeal to recognize
> the reality of the situation.
>
> If you weren't so naive and clueless.
>
> > That was the VERY reason for the bill in the first place..
>
> In your "mind" at least. But the legislative process is open to other
> thoughts too, not just your own no matter how self righteous you are.
>
> (I guess the compelling testimony given under a pseudonym didn't
carry
> the day? And isn't it perjury to swear an oath and then testify under
a
> pseudonym?)
>
> >to get
> > doctors to treat.. NOT to get them to NOT treat.. which is the
Health
> > Departments current take on the situation! The Health Dept here and
> > others somehow connected are actually STILL standing by and are
> > promoting several horrible situations which have forced Lyme folks
> from
> > this state to go out of state for treatment.
>
> The reason people go out of state is NOT because of the Health
> Department OR because of any investigation or prosecution of doctors
> but simply because most of the doctors in MD (and elsewhere) don't
> agree with you or dr burrascano.
>
> Plain and simple.
>
> And the "solution" to that is changing their minds.
>
> NOT:
>
> o cursing at them
> o threatening them
> o insulting them
> o calling them "ducks"
> o being divisive with "camp a and camp b" stuff
> o harassing them
> o protesting them
> o legislating that they change their minds
>
> But that IS the approach taken by Lyme "activists" and "leaders."
>
> Look at the list above. Explain to me how some other "strategy" has
> been taken? And explain to me how any of those things is going to
work?
> Or has worked?
>
> So the "solution" of legislation to "protect" doctors makes the
> demonstrably erroneoous ASSumption that there ARE doctors to
"protect"
>
> But the truth is that there really are none as a practical matter.
(If
> there are 25 in the entire country who are thought of as "llmds" and
> there are 250,000 cases of Lyme annually or more, that means each one
> would need to see 25,000 people a year, diagnose them, treat them and
> manage them--if one limits it to neurologists rheumatologists and
> infectious disease doctors as the CT legislation did, well, how many
> "lyme literate" docs are there in THOSE specialities?).
>
> So the "solution" has to be to change minds and create a larger
> population of "llmds."
>
> And NONE of what has been attempted has any chance of doing that or
is
> even aimed at trying to do that.
>
> How to do that?
>
> Persuade them. Create a body of literature that supports burrascano
> style treatment. Teach it. Work with academics rather than harassing
> and protesting them.
>
> NO it is NOT a simplistic sound bite demagogic solution like "let's
> write our legislators and pass a bill" and YES it will take many
years,
> probably requiring a generational change.
>
> But if we don't start now, I guarantee we will be in the same place
25
> years from now and not have taken the first step. Because we are in
the
> same position or worse than we were 25 years ago, 25 years of this
> nonsense reactionary "activism" later.
>
> > Such as...
> >
> > 1. One pill of doxy when bitten in an endemic area, to cure Lyme
> > disease.
>
> That isn't an accurate description of the NEJM article which
advocates
> two pills if seen with a rash within three days.
>
> > 2. The bacteria are "sterile" once treated and any further symptoms
> are
> > a result of something other than a current active infection...
> > therefore NO more antibiotics.
>
> And that is a position that has not been thoroughly discredited
though
> I personally disagree with it and there is at least SOME evidence
that
> it is wrong at least in some cases.
>
> However the further question remains whether more antibiotics helps.
If
> so, how much? If so, is there an endpoint to treatment? Do
antibiotics
> help even if not cure.
>
> These are legitimate questions and the kind that need to be answered
in
> order to INTELLIGENTLY refute those views (It is NOT "intelligent" to
> simply say that these are "horrible situations" whatever that means
OR
> to describe all of this as "duck thinking" or even more idiotically
as
> "evil"
>
> > 3. They (the Health Dept and doctors here) are doing fine and doing
a
> > good job... blah blah blah... and Lyme is no big deal here. I was
> > actually told Rabies is more important here now.. yes NOW.. than
Lyme
> > disease.
>
> And "blah blah blah" is NOT an intelligent response. Real
> epidemiological data would be a good start in refuting that. So would
> impact analysis. Some real science.
>
> NOT the opinion of "tincup"
>
> > Soooooooooooo.. to pass this bill in THAT form would have been a
> > nightmare!!!
>
> To ask for the legislation in the first place was the big mistake.
>
> > It was lucky it was kicked.. and that was the goal once we found
out
> it
> > had been altered to NOTHING like the original.
>
> Funny thing, if that was the goal then WHY was there not one single
> post explaining that prior to the hearing? Why was all I saw urging
to
> get people there, to testify, to send their stories, to email and
call
> md legislators urging passage of the bill?
>
> >All of the doctor
> > protection was removed.. and so was the insurance and long term
> > treatment info.
>
> The doctor "protection" was illusory and meaningless, it could only
> have hurt patient's rights and the insurance and long term treatment
> mandates were meaningless and unenforceable too.
>
> > It was like.. we submitted a can of peaches for consideration and
> > approval.. and we ended up with a card board box full of rotten
clam
> > shells in it's place. ????
> >
> > HELLO!
>
> HELLO yourself. Again what did you bunch of rubes and morons and
> nitwits expect on your gullible's travels to Annapolis?
>
> > So... the bad news is, it was altered.. the good news is, the ones
> > putting it in the Senate for passage thankfully got it tossed
before
> > damage was done.
>
> No thanks to any of you.
>
> > Now.. MY take on it..
>
> Oh gee, the wisdom of this brilliant political analyst...
>
> > I have been checking out the Health Dept members here.. and the
Board
> > of Physicians members. What a nightmare!
>
> Who would you think they would be?
>
> > I haven't finished researching the whole group yet.. (puke,
> research...
> > puke, research) but what I have learned..
> >
> > Nearly all have a tie to... either/or..
> >
> > Hopkins (Our BIGGEST nightmare)
>
> Here comes the conspiracy theory...
>
> I mean are you actually surprised that in Maryland health officials
> MIGHT just have some affiliations with the largest and most
prestigious
> medical institution going?
>
> > Kaiser Permente
> >
> > Other insurance companies
>
> Whatever.
>
> >umsteere and the Out to Lunch Bunch who have had their lips
surgically
> > sewn to Bumsteeres ***
> >
> > ID ducks
> >
> > The OLD Board of Physicians Quality Assurance that was considered
so
> > bad (due to problems concerning leaning in doctors favor when a
> patient
> > complaint was made).. that a new bill had to be entered and was
> passed
> > to try to FIX them.
> >
> > In MY opinion.. these are NOT the ones we want dictating to doctors
> in
> > Maryland HOW to treat Lyme disease.
>
> Well if any of you listened BEFORE hand several of us were telling
you
> that!!!!
>
> WE TOLD YOU SO BUT YOU REFUSED TO LISTEN!
>
> > Now.. HOW this happened.. I don't really know.
>
> What a shock!
>
> >OT being polly ticky..
> > I don't understand the process.
>
> Then NONE of you who don't understand it should be screwing around
with
> it any more than people who don't understand electricity should be
> trying to fix high voltage transmission wires...
>
> > do think though.. that to have that
> > bill passed would have been doom for many more people who have Lyme
> and
> > who will GET Lyme in the future.
>
> Exactly what we warned of and YOU almost brought to reality. Whose
> fault would THAT have been? YOURS!
>
> > As I have been shouting from the mountain tops over the years...
> >
> > Hopkins is allowed to influence the Health Department and the Lyme
> > situation in this state and that is why there are so many severely
> sick
> > folks showing up at our doors crying and begging for help... and
why
> > over 90 perent of them must go out of state.
>
> It ain't just Hopkins. It is the majority view everywhere. And if
you'd
> get that through your thick self righteous skulls, you'd realize that
> the solution is NOT legislation and that you ain't gonna win going
that
> route even if it was (which it ain't).
>
> > We are not in the "stupid about Lyme" state here. We are smack dab
in
> > the middle of the "EVIL" side of Lyme.. in other words... those who
> > KNOW better but are trying to save their collective butts for
messing
> > up so bad.
>
> Another conspiracy theory. People are "evil" because they disagree
with
> you. How self righteous. And self defeating.
>
>
> >
> >
> >
>
***************************************************************************
> >
> > a_weisman@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > > Excerpt:
> > >
> > >
> > > ""We feel now that the bill isn't in the best interest of people
> with
> > > Lyme
> > > disease or those who will get it," said Pamela Andrews,
co-founder
> > and
> > > vice
> > > president of ELDA.
> > >
> > > Andrews said the Maryland Board of Physicians will send letters
to
> > > doctors
> > > instructing them on how the disease should be treated.
> > >
> > > "Sen. Paula Hollinger said that the Senate bill tries to dictate
> how
> > > doctors
> > > should practice, but we were just trying to give doctors more
> options
> > > for how to
> > > treat Lyme disease," Andrews said."
> > >
> > >
> > > UNBELIEVAABLE!
> > >
> > > This ain't the first time that Lyme "activists" and "leaders" did
> the
> > > old "support the bill" "Kill the bill" schizophrenia routine!
> > >
> > > This is EXACTLY why these naive amateurs should NOT be seeking to
> > > legislate in the first place (PHYLLIS!!!)
> > >
> > > A bunch of freaking mOOOOORons!
> > >
> > > And all the sheep who blindly follow them (PHYLLIS) and endlessly
> > > cheerlead their ill conceived efforts (PHYLLIS)
> > >
> > > NOW as a result of their "activism" and "leadership" the MD Bd of
> > > Health is going to send a letter to doctors telling them--no
> > > "instructing" them how to treat!
> > >
> > > Guess what?
> > >
> > > It ain't gonna be Burrascano's guidelines. It IS going to be
IDSA.
> > >
> > > Great job!
> > >
> > > All of that in a State where there never was a complaint much
less
> an
> > > investigation much less a prosecution!
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
http://www.delmarvanow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050326/NEWS01/503260306/\
> > >
> > > 1002
> > > The Daily Times
> > > Salisbury MD
> > > March 26, 2005
> > >
> > > Group wants more options in Lyme disease treatment
> > >
> > > By Monique Lewis
> > > Daily Times Staff Writer
> > >
> > > ---------------------------------
> > >
> > > SALISBURY -- Efforts to protect doctors who administer care for
> > > patients with
> > > late-stage Lyme disease and place treatment fee responsibility on
> > > insurance
> > > companies have been struck down by the Senate.
> > >
> > > The Eastern Shore chapter of the National Lyme Disease
Association
> > went
> > > before
> > > the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee on
March
> 10
> > > to seek
> > > permission granting physicians the right to use long-term
> antibiotics
> > > for
> > > patients with the disease. The committee amended the bill, Senate
> > Bill
> > > 596.
> > >
> > > "We feel now that the bill isn't in the best interest of people
> with
> > > Lyme
> > > disease or those who will get it," said Pamela Andrews,
co-founder
> > and
> > > vice
> > > president of ELDA.
> > >
> > > Andrews said the Maryland Board of Physicians will send letters
to
> > > doctors
> > > instructing them on how the disease should be treated.
> > >
> > > "Sen. Paula Hollinger said that the Senate bill tries to dictate
> how
> > > doctors
> > > should practice, but we were just trying to give doctors more
> options
> > > for how to
> > > treat Lyme disease," Andrews said.
> > >
> > > The association also presented a sister bill to the House of
> > > Representatives'
> > > Health and Government Operations Committee, Bill 1323, on March
11.
> > The
> > > bill's
> > > goal was to establish a task force to study Lyme disease.
> > >
> > > ELDA co-founder Dale King said the Senate's actions prove they
> don't
> > > believe in
> > > long-term treatment. King, his wife Jackie and all four of their
> > > children have
> > > Lyme disease. He said the amendments are unfortunate, because
> > business
> > > will
> > > continue with the usual approach that has done nothing to help
> > patients
> > > who have
> > > chronic Lyme disease.
> > >
> > > David Weld, executive director of the American Lyme Disease
> > Foundation,
> > > said
> > > that much research has shown that patients have also been
diagnosed
> > > incorrectly.
> > > In 90 to 95 percent of the cases, the bacteria -- borrelia
> burgdorfer
> > > -- is no
> > > longer in the blood.
> > >
> > > "Some symptoms do persist," Weld said. "The bacteria may have
> caused
> > a
> > > reaction
> > > in the body that give symptoms in the body which we don't
> understand.
> > > The
> > > problem is that some physicians treat with antibiotics even
though
> > the
> > > patient
> > > doesn't have the disease."
> > >
> > > Weld said that nearly 20,000 new cases are reported to the Center
> for
> > > Disease
> > > Control each year and probably five to 10 times more go
unreported.
> > >
> > > "Some patients want a positive test to help explain what they
> have,"
> > > Weld said.
> > > "I know of people who tend to over diagnose treatment and the CDC
> > knows
> > > of them
> > > as well."
> > >
> > > International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society President Dr.
> > > Stephen
> > > Phillips said the only treatment available to doctors are
> > antibiotics.
> > >
> > > · Reach Monique Lewis at 410-845-4656 or mlewis@....
> > >
> > > ****
> > >
> > >
> > > Rita Stanley wrote:
> > > > Annapolis article on the Lyme Bill hearings.
> > > > http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/03_12-16/GOV
> > > > Victims show support for Lyme disease bill
> > > > By PAMELA WOOD Staff Writer
> > > >
> > > > One by one, they nervously approached the microphone to list
> their
> > > symptoms:
> > > > extreme fatigue, aches, blurred vision, balance problems,
> > difficulty
> > > > speaking.
> > > >
> > > > Then the misdiagnoses: fibromyalgia, depression, chronic
fatigue
> > > syndrome,
> > > > Lou Gehrig's disease.
> > > >
> > > > But the more than two dozen people who testified before a state
> > > Senate
> > > > committee Thursday all finally found the cause of their
troubles
> > was
> > > Lyme
> > > > disease, a troubling illness spread by deer ticks.
> > > >
> > > > They were among more than 100 patients and relatives who packed
a
> > > hearing
> > > > room to show their support for a bill they say would improve
> > > treatment of
> > > > Lyme disease in the state.
> > > >
> > > > "Patients are too sick to fight with their doctors for
> treatment,"
> > > said Lucy
> > > > Barnes, a Lyme disease patient and activist from Queenstown.
> > > >
> > > > The Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs
Committee
> is
> > > > considering a bill that would require insurance companies to
pay
> > for
> > > > long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. Some only pay
> for
> > a
> > > few
> > > > weeks of medication, even though some patients say they need
> months
> > > or years
> > > > of antibiotics.
> > > >
> > > > The bill, SB596, also would prevent the Board of Physicians
from
> > > > disciplining a doctor for prescribing long-term drugs. Bill
> > advocates
> > > say
> > > > some doctors are scared to try long-term therapy for patients
for
> > > fear of
> > > > losing their license.
> > > >
> > > > "It is time the state begins to recognize the impact of this
> > horrible
> > >
> > > > disease," said Sen. Richard F. Colburn, R-Dorchester, the lead
> > > sponsor of
> > > > the bill.
> > > >
> > > > Insurance industry reps were signed up to testify but were
> > no-shows.
> > > >
> > > > While most of the bill supporters who turned out for the
hearing
> > were
> > > from
> > > > the Eastern Shore, Lyme disease is a concern in Anne Arundel
> County
> > > as well.
> > > >
> > > > Anne Arundel's sprawling suburban neighborhoods provide ideal
> > habitat
> > > for
> > > > deer, and in turn, the deer tick that carries the bacteria that
> > > causes Lyme
> > > > disease. According to the county Health Department, there were
77
> > > confirmed
> > > > cases of Lyme disease in 2003, and 66 cases in 2002. Statistics
> > from
> > > 2004
> > > > weren't available.
> > > >
> > > > By some estimates, there are 10 undiagnosed cases for every
> > confirmed
> > > case.
> > > >
> > > > Patients said they have a hard time getting an accurate
> diagnosis,
> > > besides
> > > > having problems getting treated and covered by insurance. Lyme
> > > disease tests
> > > > often show false negatives, and doctors are reluctant to treat
> Lyme
> > > disease
> > > > without a positive test in hand, they said.
> > > >
> > > > "It is very, very hard to figure out whether people have Lyme
> > disease
> > > or
> > > > not," said Sen. James Brochin, D-Baltimore County, who said he
> > still
> > > has
> > > > lingering effects of the Lyme disease he contracted 17 years
ago.
> > > >
> > > > And while committee members seemed moved by the testimony and
> > strong
> > > > turnout, some balked at the idea of telling the Board of
> Physicians
> > > how to
> > > > police doctors for one specific illness.
> > > >
> > > > "We're not in the business of directing protocol for doctors,"
> said
> > > Sen. Roy
> > > > P. Dyson, R-St. Mary's.
> > > >
> > > > C. Irving Pinder Jr., director of the Board of Physicians, said
> he
> > > couldn't
> > > > find a single case where a doctor was investigated for
> > > overprescribing
> > > > antibiotics for Lyme disease.
> > > >
> > > > "It sounds like what we need is education and training," he
said.
> > > >
> > > > The committee chairman, Sen. Paula C. Hollinger, D-Baltimore
> > County,
> > > said
> > > > she wants to find a better way to help Lyme disease patients.
> > > >
> > > > "We'll try and attack it through legislation, but I'm not sure
it
> > > will be
> > > > exactly this bill," she said.
> > > >
> > > > The House of Delegates is considering a separate proposal,
> HB1323,
> > > which
> > > > would establish a state Lyme disease task force.

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