Insurance
Lyme treatment is covered by MN state statute 62A.265
Insurance / Pre-existing Conditions read more
Health Insurance Coverage for Lyme Disease in Disability – Lyme advocate Barbara Arnold explains some of the factors involved when a Lyme patient files for SSDI
Applying for social security disability
Strategy for appealing a denial of social security disability, by Ethel Schaen, social security disability attorney
Disability.gov is a comprehensive federal website of disability-related government resources.
Medicare programs
Presciption Hope can help you obtain any of about 1500 brand name prescription medications
The CDC says: Surveillance case definitions establish uniform criteria for disease reporting and should not be used as: *the sole criteria for establishing clinical diagnoses:* determining the standard of care necessary for a particular patient:* setting guidelines for quality assurance or providing standard for reimbursement. Yet doctors are inappropriately using CDC surveillance criteria to diagnose and insurance companies are using the criteria to deny reimbursement thus patients are not getting diagnosed and treated.
If you have been denied insurance
Print a copy of the new guidelines and a copy of the insurance letter to mail along with your appeal.
We urge you to contact Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, and send/email a copy of the letter to your state representative and senator. Concisely tell your story and ask that he remind insurance companies of their obligations to treat Lyme patients under Minnesota Statute 62A.265.
The more patients he hears from, the stronger his mandate will be to advocate on our behalf.
Commissioner Mike Rothman
85 7th Place East, Suite 500, St. Paul, MN 55101 commerce.commissioner@state.mn.us
651-296-4026
Letter from Representative John Ward to Commissioner Mike Rothman:
Dear Commissioner Rothman: I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight the fact that several constituents have contacted me recently to share their concerns about the fact that their health insurance providers have denied coverage for IV antibiotics to treat Lyme disease. In addition, Brenda Peltier, president of the Minnesota Lyme Association, reached out to me to bring to light the fact that their members are noticing more insurance denials as well. They are organizing an effort to send letters to insurance companies to remind them of their obligations in Minnesota Statutes 62A.265 (Coverage for Lyme Disease):Subdivision 1.Required coverage. Every health plan, including a plan providing the coverage specified in section 62A.011, subdivision 3, clause (10), must cover treatment for diagnosed Lyme disease.Subd. 2. Special restrictions prohibited. No health plan included in subdivision 1 may impose a special deductible, co-payment, waiting period, or other special restriction on treatment for Lyme disease that the health plan does not apply to nonpreventive treatment in general. The number of Lyme disease cases has been increasing dramatically since the 1990s. You may not be aware of the fact that my district is ground-zero for Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses in Minnesota. In fact, almost 12 percent of all Lyme disease cases in Minnesota were reported in Crow Wing County. Cass County also ranks among the highest for incidence of Lyme disease, representing 5 percent of all reported cases. That is why I have worked diligently to combat Lyme disease in Minnesota with further efforts for prevention, and legislation, enacted in 2010, allowing physicians to more aggressively treat Lyme disease patients. Today I am asking for your help. Although I am aware that the Minnesota Department of Commerce does not have jurisdiction over self-insured plans, I hope that you will act on behalf of Lyme patients in Minnesota and ensure that the insurance plans under your control meet their obligations to cover the treatment methods the patient and doctor determine is best for them. Oftentimes, multiple treatment methods are needed to attack this crippling disease and the most beneficial healing method should be determined by medical professionals, not insurance companies.
Thank you in advance for your time and attention to this serious matter. I look forward to receiving a response from you. If you have any questions, or if your policy staff feels that additional legislative action is needed, please don’t hesitate to contact me at (651) 296-4333.
Sincerely,
John Ward
State Representative