Aa
Please take a minute to sign this petition, VERY IMPORTANT
Please take a moment to sign this petition regarding lyme disease, it takes very little time.
Thank you so much, please try to talk to as many people as you can to participate
http://healthcare.change.org/actions/view/ lyme_disease_epidemic
Thank you so much, please try to talk to as many people as you can to participate
http://healthcare.change.org/actions/view/ lyme_disease_epidemic
"I understand what you are saying; and agree with the fact that I don't want the govn., to have full control. However, do you have a better plan?"
==> No, I don't have a master plan for how to make it all work, but by everyone figuring out in little bits what works, we could end up somewhere better than where we are right now. The federal government already pays for medical care for a bunch of people through Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (which we all pay for, but don't all use), and the private medical care system (which those of us who use it pay a lot for, but are quickly losing control over how it works because of the interference of the insurance companies).
The advantage of the private medical care system over Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP is *choice* of who to see and how to be treated and when, unlike the governmental system. Unfortunately the government interferes with the private health insurance companies by holding on to laws that distort the marketplace for insurance. Three examples:
(1) Laws currently require that all medical insurance plans cover certain a bunch of things that a bunch of us (me included) don't want or need: like maternity coverage. I had my kids, I'm not having anymore, and don't want or need maternity coverage, but I can't get a 'check the box' policy because the law won't let me.
(2) Laws currently won't let insurance companies sell insurance across state lines, so the market is smaller in each state and reduces the ability to share administrative costs. Think what would happen if gas companies could exist only in a single state: lots of overhead and therefore higher costs to be borne by the patients/consumers.
(3) The historical reasons for employers to provide health insurance to employees are this: after WWII, there were very high income tax rates (higher than now) on people in top income tax brackets, so companies were looking for a way to compensate their employees efficiently -- and fringe benefits like health insurance were not taxed as income, so it was economically rational for employers to provide health insurance to employees instead of paying them more to go buy their own insurance. The now-retired generation who fought WWII often worked for one employer their whole careers and then retired. Today, as is pretty obvious, the big employers are going away and we are all more nimble and move around from job to job for all sorts of reasons -- good reasons, because the market allocates workers to growing industries who need employees and will pay more than industries who are on decline. Win/win. But the outdated laws still give tax breaks to companies that pay for employees' health insurance, but keep us small business owners and employees from enjoying the same benefits. Laws should be equalized so we all -- owners and workers, big companies and small -- are treated the same. Then we would all have better access to medical care that we choose, and at lower prices.
"When AIDS was finally acknowledged and respected, so the patients could get treatment, did the govn., get full control over health care..I don't think so."
==> This has the cart before the horse: whether or not a disease is acknowleged does not *cause* the government to gain or lose control over treatment. The problem we would have if government takes over as 'single payer' (in effect, becomes The Only Health Insurance Company) is that all the rules of diagnosis and treatment would then be set and enforced by The One Health Insurance Company (TOHIC). All doctors would work for TOHIC, all hospitals would be run by TOHIC, what diagnostic procedures would be all right based on various symptoms would be controlled by TOHIC, and all *treatments* would be limited to what is approved by TOHIC.
Do you have Kaiser insurance? TOHIC would be like Kaiser, but with no Blue Cross or other insurance options, and NO ability to go pay out of pocket to see a doctor outside the system (all doctors would work for TOHIC) and no ability for a doctor to prescribe anything other than the 'guidelines' established by TOHIC.
Therefore ... the CDC's rules on how to diagnose Lyme and how to treat Lyme would rule. No options, no other place or doctor to go to. We patients would each get our standard 2 weeks of antibiotics, and then referred to a psychologist for our remaining 'problems.'
I personally fear greatly the heavy hand of government taking over something as personal as my medical care. There is too much unknown in medicine to restrict our care to what is 'standard.' There is a reason people from all over the world come to the US for medical care: we have the freedom to allow openminded doctors and scientists to try to figure out new things and learn new ways to treat old diseases. Innovation does not result from government direction.
Today it was reported in the news that at the current World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the world's brainy politicians and business people go to chat once a year (Bill Clinton is always there, if that provides you a point of reference), the Prime Minister and former President of Russia and old KBG hand, Vladimir Putin (hardly a fan of democracy), said: "In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state’s role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated. .. Nor should we turn a blind eye to the fact that the spirit of free enterprise, including the principle of personal responsibility of businesspeople, investors, and shareholders for their decisions, is being eroded in the last few months. There is no reason to believe that we can achieve better results by shifting responsibility onto the state."
This applies to science and medicine as well: 'There is no reason to believe that [government] can achieve better results by shifting responsibility onto the state." Coming from an old Communist, this is a remarkable statement.
"Please, you don't need to scream at me with your caps. We are all in pain,suffering, and frustated. We need to band together, not tear each other apart. Best to you and everyone."
==> It was one line at the end of a long post and it was addressed to people, not to you personally, but if you were offended, I apologize.
==> So what should we do? Not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep our doctors and insurance companies free of intrusive laws that mean well but produce disaster. Change the laws restricting what policies insurance companies can offer, and let them work across state lines. Get approval in each state for 'doc in a box' urgent care clinics, so that hospital emergency rooms are not overburdened by people who really aren't emergencies but have the right to free medical care there -- our emergency rooms are about to go out of business, and the ER docs are about to give up, because the ERs are required by law to treat anyone and everyone, and then get reimbursed if at all at less than the actual cost of treatment. This is not good for any of us. Where do you go after a car wreck or a burst appendix if the ERs are closed?
What to do? Don't support federal take over of the medical system. Don't support people who want that to happen. Write and call your elected reps to tell them not to nationalize medicine. Once it's gone, we'll never get it back. And as long as private medical care exists, we have a chance to make it better.
==> No, I don't have a master plan for how to make it all work, but by everyone figuring out in little bits what works, we could end up somewhere better than where we are right now. The federal government already pays for medical care for a bunch of people through Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP (which we all pay for, but don't all use), and the private medical care system (which those of us who use it pay a lot for, but are quickly losing control over how it works because of the interference of the insurance companies).
The advantage of the private medical care system over Medicare/Medicaid/SCHIP is *choice* of who to see and how to be treated and when, unlike the governmental system. Unfortunately the government interferes with the private health insurance companies by holding on to laws that distort the marketplace for insurance. Three examples:
(1) Laws currently require that all medical insurance plans cover certain a bunch of things that a bunch of us (me included) don't want or need: like maternity coverage. I had my kids, I'm not having anymore, and don't want or need maternity coverage, but I can't get a 'check the box' policy because the law won't let me.
(2) Laws currently won't let insurance companies sell insurance across state lines, so the market is smaller in each state and reduces the ability to share administrative costs. Think what would happen if gas companies could exist only in a single state: lots of overhead and therefore higher costs to be borne by the patients/consumers.
(3) The historical reasons for employers to provide health insurance to employees are this: after WWII, there were very high income tax rates (higher than now) on people in top income tax brackets, so companies were looking for a way to compensate their employees efficiently -- and fringe benefits like health insurance were not taxed as income, so it was economically rational for employers to provide health insurance to employees instead of paying them more to go buy their own insurance. The now-retired generation who fought WWII often worked for one employer their whole careers and then retired. Today, as is pretty obvious, the big employers are going away and we are all more nimble and move around from job to job for all sorts of reasons -- good reasons, because the market allocates workers to growing industries who need employees and will pay more than industries who are on decline. Win/win. But the outdated laws still give tax breaks to companies that pay for employees' health insurance, but keep us small business owners and employees from enjoying the same benefits. Laws should be equalized so we all -- owners and workers, big companies and small -- are treated the same. Then we would all have better access to medical care that we choose, and at lower prices.
"When AIDS was finally acknowledged and respected, so the patients could get treatment, did the govn., get full control over health care..I don't think so."
==> This has the cart before the horse: whether or not a disease is acknowleged does not *cause* the government to gain or lose control over treatment. The problem we would have if government takes over as 'single payer' (in effect, becomes The Only Health Insurance Company) is that all the rules of diagnosis and treatment would then be set and enforced by The One Health Insurance Company (TOHIC). All doctors would work for TOHIC, all hospitals would be run by TOHIC, what diagnostic procedures would be all right based on various symptoms would be controlled by TOHIC, and all *treatments* would be limited to what is approved by TOHIC.
Do you have Kaiser insurance? TOHIC would be like Kaiser, but with no Blue Cross or other insurance options, and NO ability to go pay out of pocket to see a doctor outside the system (all doctors would work for TOHIC) and no ability for a doctor to prescribe anything other than the 'guidelines' established by TOHIC.
Therefore ... the CDC's rules on how to diagnose Lyme and how to treat Lyme would rule. No options, no other place or doctor to go to. We patients would each get our standard 2 weeks of antibiotics, and then referred to a psychologist for our remaining 'problems.'
I personally fear greatly the heavy hand of government taking over something as personal as my medical care. There is too much unknown in medicine to restrict our care to what is 'standard.' There is a reason people from all over the world come to the US for medical care: we have the freedom to allow openminded doctors and scientists to try to figure out new things and learn new ways to treat old diseases. Innovation does not result from government direction.
Today it was reported in the news that at the current World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where the world's brainy politicians and business people go to chat once a year (Bill Clinton is always there, if that provides you a point of reference), the Prime Minister and former President of Russia and old KBG hand, Vladimir Putin (hardly a fan of democracy), said: "In the 20th century, the Soviet Union made the state’s role absolute. In the long run, this made the Soviet economy totally uncompetitive. This lesson cost us dearly. I am sure nobody wants to see it repeated. .. Nor should we turn a blind eye to the fact that the spirit of free enterprise, including the principle of personal responsibility of businesspeople, investors, and shareholders for their decisions, is being eroded in the last few months. There is no reason to believe that we can achieve better results by shifting responsibility onto the state."
This applies to science and medicine as well: 'There is no reason to believe that [government] can achieve better results by shifting responsibility onto the state." Coming from an old Communist, this is a remarkable statement.
"Please, you don't need to scream at me with your caps. We are all in pain,suffering, and frustated. We need to band together, not tear each other apart. Best to you and everyone."
==> It was one line at the end of a long post and it was addressed to people, not to you personally, but if you were offended, I apologize.
==> So what should we do? Not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Keep our doctors and insurance companies free of intrusive laws that mean well but produce disaster. Change the laws restricting what policies insurance companies can offer, and let them work across state lines. Get approval in each state for 'doc in a box' urgent care clinics, so that hospital emergency rooms are not overburdened by people who really aren't emergencies but have the right to free medical care there -- our emergency rooms are about to go out of business, and the ER docs are about to give up, because the ERs are required by law to treat anyone and everyone, and then get reimbursed if at all at less than the actual cost of treatment. This is not good for any of us. Where do you go after a car wreck or a burst appendix if the ERs are closed?
What to do? Don't support federal take over of the medical system. Don't support people who want that to happen. Write and call your elected reps to tell them not to nationalize medicine. Once it's gone, we'll never get it back. And as long as private medical care exists, we have a chance to make it better.
I know of no relationship between Lyme disease and cancer.
There is a relationship between abuse of antibiotics and cancer.
http://www.naturalnews.com/000913.html
I've seen this report elsewhere. So, I guess Lyme can lead to cancer but indirectly.
The link to cancer is really antibiotics.
There is a relationship between abuse of antibiotics and cancer.
http://www.naturalnews.com/000913.html
I've seen this report elsewhere. So, I guess Lyme can lead to cancer but indirectly.
The link to cancer is really antibiotics.
I understand what you are saying; and agree with the fact that I don't want the govn., to have full control. However, do you have a better plan?
When AIDS was finally acknowledged and respected, so the patients could get treatment, did the govn., get full control over health care..I don't think so.
Please, you don't need to scream at me with your caps. We are all in pain,suffering, and frustated. We need to band together, not tear each other apart. Best to you and everyone.
When AIDS was finally acknowledged and respected, so the patients could get treatment, did the govn., get full control over health care..I don't think so.
Please, you don't need to scream at me with your caps. We are all in pain,suffering, and frustated. We need to band together, not tear each other apart. Best to you and everyone.
Yes, speak up, but don't get fooled by those pushing full government control over health care. I like my local post office, but I don't want to go there for health care...because then we will have NO options and will be treated only according to the current standard of care -- which means we will NOT be treated, but ignored.
Because of the lack of research on lyme disease, who can say that it doesn't cause cancer or brain tumors. It is a pathogen that enters your bloodstream and makes its way throughout every single part of your body; even going inside your very cells. Could this possibly cause abnormal cell growth. Cancer & Tumors. I don't know, but we sure have the right to know.
I'm not intending to cause panic. However, the reality is that lyme disease does wreak havok on your body and mind. I would rather be aware of what I'm fighting, so I Can fight it; instead of being kept in the dark.
So, to those of you who are suffering and want bills to be passed to bring about the way lyme disease is percieved. Then please take a moment and sign the petition. You can use the master copy or even better tell your own story about how lyme has disrupted your lives, cost you to lose your physical and mental abilities. Please knowone is going to worry about your grammer or your spelling. Because we all understand how hard it is to live with this torturous disease.
When breast cancer, AIDS, and other diseases first started to emerge, this is the road they had to go down to bring about awareness.
Let's all get on the same page with this. Best to all.
I'm not intending to cause panic. However, the reality is that lyme disease does wreak havok on your body and mind. I would rather be aware of what I'm fighting, so I Can fight it; instead of being kept in the dark.
So, to those of you who are suffering and want bills to be passed to bring about the way lyme disease is percieved. Then please take a moment and sign the petition. You can use the master copy or even better tell your own story about how lyme has disrupted your lives, cost you to lose your physical and mental abilities. Please knowone is going to worry about your grammer or your spelling. Because we all understand how hard it is to live with this torturous disease.
When breast cancer, AIDS, and other diseases first started to emerge, this is the road they had to go down to bring about awareness.
Let's all get on the same page with this. Best to all.
Lyme Disease causes cancer? On what foundation was this information gathered.
By allowing us Lymies to read such information it can cause severe panic as a majority of us already have to deal with anxiety and panic issues and now I read something that says Lyme leads to Cancer and Brain Tumors!!!!
By allowing us Lymies to read such information it can cause severe panic as a majority of us already have to deal with anxiety and panic issues and now I read something that says Lyme leads to Cancer and Brain Tumors!!!!
I agree with you on these bills that need to be passed, however this is a fine way to help get that accomplished, by letting your voice be heard to the government.
You can edit this letter, or submit your own. If government isn't the solution,,then what is. The government has been the problem, you're right. However, this is a new administration and along with that comes hope.
We are not dealing with the George Bush administration any longer, I have hope that they will listen, if we group together and stop nitpicking, especially something so silly as a typo, Jackie. Like I will say again, you can go to the site and write your own letter.
Everyone: The new administration has asked for our ideas on how they can help us. This is our chance to tell them. If you don't like the main copy, then you can go to the link and write in your own story. Please participate. It couldn't hurt and it may just help. Best to everyone.
We are not dealing with the George Bush administration any longer, I have hope that they will listen, if we group together and stop nitpicking, especially something so silly as a typo, Jackie. Like I will say again, you can go to the site and write your own letter.
Everyone: The new administration has asked for our ideas on how they can help us. This is our chance to tell them. If you don't like the main copy, then you can go to the link and write in your own story. Please participate. It couldn't hurt and it may just help. Best to everyone.
Here is the text of the suggested letter, quoted from the 'change.org' website, with my comments:
"Lyme Disease needs better treatments, cures and understanding by the doctors and the entire medical community with much more clinical studies and longer treatments as each patient requires."
==> okay so far
"Insurance companies which overcharge the individuals is a crime, and they must pay for the long term treatments while the patients with Lyme Disease greatly suffers. Lyme leads to Many Cancers, Fibromayalgia, Parkinsons, ALS, MS, Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis, Spinal and Herniated Disc Disorders, Brain Tumors, and many many more disabling medical conditions."
==> this is a far reach. Lyme leads to CANCER?
"Lyme disease is being disputed by the elected officials and undertreated while people greatly suffer."
==> which elected officials? If you mean the CDC, they are not elected, which is why we can't vote them OUT of office.
"Poor testing, poor medical community understanding and undertreating it leads to further life long complications."
==> agreed.
"Millions are infected and millions are still undiangnosed with it."
==> argumentative, and not readily provable, but those of us with the disease feel badly treated, that's true
"We need special funding, Bills passed, cures found, proper testing, better understanding, proper education of the entire medical community, coinfections need better testings and treatments, longer treatments for the sick individuals, special care needs for the patients and Bills passed on this urgent matter ASAP."
==> Do you really think the government is the best way to get everything you want? The government takes money from everyone, sloshes it around and wastes it on ridiculous things, and then hands out what's left to the friends of the people running the government who agree with those in power.
A better idea: encourage research in the private sector by cutting taxes so that there is more money available to the private sector to do research independent of The One Truth that the government decides we must agree to.
"We need Lyme Litterate Specialist Doctors."
==> Literate has two T's, not three. If you think the government will make available more LLMDs, then you aren't watching what the CDC is up to. The CDC (that is, the government) is trying to shut down LLMDs. The more power the government has, the less choice WE have.
"Lyme Disease and its Coinfections is a Major Epidemic like no other, it is currently spreading like nothing else, and is going to be bigger than any other infectious disease known to mankind."
==> Hyperbole like this ('going to be bigger than any other infectious disease known to mankind') doesn't persuade anyone.
"Please take this matter very seriously and take an immediate action."
==> The most immediate action to take is to stop believing that putting all decision-making power in the government will get you want you want.
The problems we have with Lyme diagnosis and treatment now have arisen BECAUSE the government runs the CDC, which like any governmental institution is full of people trying to advance their own vision of what is 'correct' -- and squeezes out the people who question that verdict. The government is made up of people, who like all of us have flaws and self-interest, and when you give that one group of people complete power over anything, including healthcare, we are trapped with things as they are now.
Do you really think giving the government more power will change the CDC and its way of operating? It is only because the government does NOT control everything that we Lyme sufferers can get any treatment at all that is something other than "Sorry, you'll just have to suffer."
DON'T BE SHEEP! THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER -- IT IS THE PROBLEM.
"Lyme Disease needs better treatments, cures and understanding by the doctors and the entire medical community with much more clinical studies and longer treatments as each patient requires."
==> okay so far
"Insurance companies which overcharge the individuals is a crime, and they must pay for the long term treatments while the patients with Lyme Disease greatly suffers. Lyme leads to Many Cancers, Fibromayalgia, Parkinsons, ALS, MS, Chronic Fatigue, Arthritis, Spinal and Herniated Disc Disorders, Brain Tumors, and many many more disabling medical conditions."
==> this is a far reach. Lyme leads to CANCER?
"Lyme disease is being disputed by the elected officials and undertreated while people greatly suffer."
==> which elected officials? If you mean the CDC, they are not elected, which is why we can't vote them OUT of office.
"Poor testing, poor medical community understanding and undertreating it leads to further life long complications."
==> agreed.
"Millions are infected and millions are still undiangnosed with it."
==> argumentative, and not readily provable, but those of us with the disease feel badly treated, that's true
"We need special funding, Bills passed, cures found, proper testing, better understanding, proper education of the entire medical community, coinfections need better testings and treatments, longer treatments for the sick individuals, special care needs for the patients and Bills passed on this urgent matter ASAP."
==> Do you really think the government is the best way to get everything you want? The government takes money from everyone, sloshes it around and wastes it on ridiculous things, and then hands out what's left to the friends of the people running the government who agree with those in power.
A better idea: encourage research in the private sector by cutting taxes so that there is more money available to the private sector to do research independent of The One Truth that the government decides we must agree to.
"We need Lyme Litterate Specialist Doctors."
==> Literate has two T's, not three. If you think the government will make available more LLMDs, then you aren't watching what the CDC is up to. The CDC (that is, the government) is trying to shut down LLMDs. The more power the government has, the less choice WE have.
"Lyme Disease and its Coinfections is a Major Epidemic like no other, it is currently spreading like nothing else, and is going to be bigger than any other infectious disease known to mankind."
==> Hyperbole like this ('going to be bigger than any other infectious disease known to mankind') doesn't persuade anyone.
"Please take this matter very seriously and take an immediate action."
==> The most immediate action to take is to stop believing that putting all decision-making power in the government will get you want you want.
The problems we have with Lyme diagnosis and treatment now have arisen BECAUSE the government runs the CDC, which like any governmental institution is full of people trying to advance their own vision of what is 'correct' -- and squeezes out the people who question that verdict. The government is made up of people, who like all of us have flaws and self-interest, and when you give that one group of people complete power over anything, including healthcare, we are trapped with things as they are now.
Do you really think giving the government more power will change the CDC and its way of operating? It is only because the government does NOT control everything that we Lyme sufferers can get any treatment at all that is something other than "Sorry, you'll just have to suffer."
DON'T BE SHEEP! THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT THE ANSWER -- IT IS THE PROBLEM.
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