Senator Brownsberger submitted the following written testimony to the Joint Committee on Financial Services.
TO: Committee on Financial Services
FROM: Senator William N. Brownsberger
RE: H989, An Act relative to Lyme disease treatment coverage
DATE: November 13, 2013
I am writing in support of H989, An Act relative to Lyme disease treatment coverage.
Lyme disease cases have greatly increased in Massachusetts — taking into account an estimate of unreported cases as many as 50,000 people could have been affected in just one year.
After diagnosis, patients can be successfully treated with long-term antibiotic therapy but find that some insurance companies deny coverage for the treatment.
H989 would increase affordable access to physician-prescribed care for Lyme disease, and I hope the Committee will report the bill favorably.