Study: Cost of expanded Lyme disease care is low
By Elaine Thompson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
May 24th, 2013
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.
In general, insurance companies only provide coverage of treatment for up to four weeks. The state currently has a law that protects physicians from medical board discipline for providing long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease. But there is no legislation regarding insurance coverage for the treatment.