UPDATE- February 12, 2016- Med-Chi (Maryland State Medical Society) is on record OPPOSING this bill. Click Here.
Oppose HB 399- Some of the Reasons To Oppose The Bill
The Attempt to "Fix-It" Bill in Virginia- Will Maryland be next if this bill passes?
You have to ask yourself why someone would come into Maryland and push a bill that they know has failed miserably in Virginia where it originated and needs further legislative actions to try to fix it? And why would they not mention any of these actions or plans to Maryland doctors, Lyme patients or support groups? Or mention it on their own website where all other legislative actions are announced with great fan fare?
Quote from NatCap Lyme- "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 situation (2016)- https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?161+sum+HB962
January 2016
Delegates Afzali and K. Young
LYME DISEASE – LABORATORY TEST – REQUIRED NOTICE
Requiring specified health care providers to provide a specified notice to a patient for whom the health care provider orders a laboratory test for the presence of Lyme disease; and providing immunity from liability, under specified circumstances, for specified health care providers for providing the notice.
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2016
HG, § 20-1701 - added
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
RESPONSE TO HB 399- Click Here
January 29, 2106
Text of HB 399 as posted at the Maryland General Assembly website.
HOUSE BILL 399
By: Delegates Afzali and K. Young
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2016
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning
Lyme Disease – Laboratory Test – Required Notice
FOR the purpose of requiring certain health care providers to provide a certain notice to a patient for whom the health care provider orders a laboratory test for the presence of Lyme disease; providing immunity from liability, under certain circumstances, for certain health care providers for providing the notice; and generally relating to laboratory tests for Lyme disease.
BY adding to
Article – Health – General
Section 20–1701 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 17. Lyme Disease Information”
Annotated Code of Maryland (2015 Replacement Volume)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
Article – Health – General SUBTITLE 17. LYME DISEASE INFORMATION.
20–1701.
“YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER HAS ORDERED A LABORATORY TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF LYME DISEASE FOR YOU. CURRENT LABORATORY TESTING FOR LYME
EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW. [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER LICENSED IN THE STATE SHALL PROVIDE
(A)
THE FOLLOWING NOTICE TO EACH PATIENT FOR WHOM THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ORDERS A LABORATORY TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF LYME DISEASE:
*hb0399*
2 HOUSE BILL 399
Synopsis:
Analysis:
All Sponsors:
Additional Facts:
Committee(s):
Broad Subject(s):
Narrow Subject(s):
Statutes:
Requiring specified health care providers to provide a specified notice to a patient
for whom the health care provider orders a laboratory test for the presence of
Lyme disease; and providing immunity from liability, under specified circumstances,
for specified health care providers for providing the notice.
Not available at this time
Bill File Type: Regular
Effective Date(s): October 1, 2016
(20-1701)