This is IMPORTANT! On Tuesday evening June 18, 2013 Resolution BILL #159 will be voted upon in Kingston.( LYME DISEASE Facebook buddies please read) If you would like to attend this meeting at the County building you must call today or Tues. to reserve a seat. This is a major move in the right direction for Lyme suffers!!! Here is the address and phone # 244 Fair Street, PO Box 1800 Ulster County Legislature Kingston, New York 12402 Phone: 845/340-3900 Resolution No. 159 June 18, 2013 In Support Of New York State Legislation A05174/S03478, Which Would Require Health Insurance Companies To Provide Coverage For Long Term Medical Care For Lyme Disease And Other Tick Borne Related Pathogens, And Establish Educational Measures Including A Tick Borne Illness Research, Detection and Education Fund Referred to: The Health and Personnel Committee (Chairman Aiello and Legislators Belfiglio, Ronk, Parete and Provenzano) Legislators Terry L. Bernardo and Robert T. Aiello offer the following: WHEREAS, tick borne disease is at an epidemic level in Ulster County and New York State; and WHEREAS, Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis/ Human Monocytic Ehrlichiosis (HGA/HME), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF), and Tularemia are a few of the known infections transmitted by ticks; and WHEREAS, tick borne disease affects people of every age, gender, and socioeconomic group regardless of where they live in Ulster County; and WHEREAS, these tick born infections are known to cause a wide range of clinical spectra from mild to severe and in some instances, fatal disease; and WHEREAS, many people are unaware they have been bitten by a tick and the appearance of a bulls-eye rash and/or a blood test has proven to be an unreliable way to detect these tick born illnesses; and WHEREAS, the classic features of Lyme disease may be absent, and the diagnosis may be easily missed according to a study published in the Oxford Journal, Clinical Infectious Disease, which states: ∙ only 50%–60% of patients with the disease recall having received a tick bite ∙ often the erythema migrans rash is absent or not in the shape of a bulls-eye ∙ according to health departments around the United States, the typical bulls- eye rash is only reported in 35%–60% of patients with the disease ∙ frank arthritis is only seen in 20%–30% of patients with the disease; and WHEREAS, controversy exists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease. Patients with persistent symptoms after standard (2–4-week) antibiotic therapy for tick borne illness have been denied further antibiotic treatment by insurance companies as a result of the perception that long-term infection with the Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, and associated tick borne pathogens is rare or nonexistent; and WHEREAS, several recent scientific studies have proven the existence of long-term chronic tick borne infections and proven the benefit of long term treatment; and WHEREAS, direct testimony given before the Ulster County Lyme Disease Committee detailed the long term, chronic and crippling consequences Ulster County and New York State residence suffered due to the misdiagnosis of these tick borne illnesses, as well as the problems obtaining insurance coverage for treatment, even when experienced and reliable physicians call for treatment; and WHEREAS, the Ulster County Lyme Disease Committee recognized the need for additional educational measures for the public and medical professionals in the area of tick borne disease; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Ulster County Legislature urges the New York State Governor and Legislature to ensure the passage of A05174/S03478; and, be it further RESOLVED, the Clerk of the Ulster County Legislature is hereby directed to forward copies of this resolution to Governor Andrew Cuomo; New York State Senate Majority Co-Leader Dean Skelos, Majority Co-Leader Jeff Klein, Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Senate Finance Committee Chair John DeFrancisco, and Senators William Larkin, Jr., John Bonacic, Cecelia Tkaczyk and James Seward; New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, Assembly and Assemblymen Claudia Tenney, Peter Lopez, Kevin Cahill and Frank Skartados, and moves its adoption. ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE: AYES: NOES: Passed Committee: Health and Personnel on ______________.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 16:17:45 +0000
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