Subject- A Bill That Didn't Work- Lyme Disease Testing- Notice Required
February 10, 2016
Dear Sponsors and Honorable Committee Chairmen,
In our documents submitted earlier OPPOSING HB 399 and SB 926 we mentioned your bills were based on a 2013 Virginia bill that was ineffective and failed to accomplish its goals. Further confirming our statement are quotes below from the handful of people who approached you and are supporting your Maryland look-alike bills.
You have to ask yourself why someone would come to Maryland to push a bill that they know has already failed miserably in Virginia where it originated and requires further legislative actions to try to fix it? And why would those who created the bill not mention any of their actions or plans concerning HB 399 or SB 926 to our Maryland doctors, Lyme patients or support groups? Or even mention it on their own website where all other legislative actions are announced with great fan fare?
Quote from NatCap Lyme on the new Virginia “Fix-It” bill- "Here is why HB 962 is important: In 2013 Lyme patients helped to pass a Virginia law that requires medical professionals who order a Lyme test to disclose in writing, that these tests are known to be problematic and can produce false negatives. NatCapLyme has learned that many health care providers are not following this law."
Link Here- https://www.votervoice.net/NATCAPLYME/campaigns/44073/respond
Bill to try to correct the bad bill (2016)- https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+sum+HB962
Before anyone considers adding an amendment, PLEASE DON’T! If a bill intends to fine doctors for not complying to a law that is no more than a huge nuisance and certainly not needed there is likely to be a big blow-out that will further jeopardize our patients and the doctors who treat them. Worse yet is the possibility those who have held us back in the past will jump in and try to “fix-it” themselves, making it another dangerous bill.
If you sincerely want to help our situation (and I believe you do), please withdraw your bills and wait until we actually require legislation to help us move forward. We will certainly inform you of that development should it arise.
Thank you sincerely for your concern, but again, we really need to educate, not legislate.
Take care of you and don’t forget, do a tick check!
Lucy Barnes, Director
Lyme Disease Education & Support Groups of Maryland
631 Railroad Avenue
Centreville, MD 21617
www.Maryland Lyme.org
Just Bitten or Need Prevention Tips?
Children With Lyme & Tick Borne Diseases
To: kathy.afzali@house.state.md.us Karen.Young@house.state.md.us
Cc: ronald.young@senate.state.md.us Delegate Peter Hammen- Maryland thomas.mcclain.middleton@senate.state.md.us