Study: Cost of expanded Lyme disease care is low

Commentary: There is a bill before the Massachusetts legislature that would help expand coverage for treatment of Lyme disease. “A report released this week says insurance coverage of long-term antibiotic treatment of chronic Lyme disease would only increase insurance policies by about 13 cents…The information from the state Center for Health Information and Analysis on Thursday is considered to be a major step for House Bill 989, which would require insurance carriers to provide coverage for antibiotic treatment lasting beyond 28 days when it is determined by a physician to be medically necessary. Passage of the bill would also require insurance coverage for diagnostic testing for the tick-borne disease.”

This bill is an important step in helping people with Lyme disease. Many patients are unable to afford long term treatment, and insurers have generally relied upon restrictive guidelines, resulting in a shifting of the burden of care to the patient and state.

Study: Cost of expanded Lyme disease care is low – 13 cents per insurance policy, by Elaine Thompson, News telegram.com