For years, patient advocates and insurance companies have been outraged and fighting about a Lyme disease bill in Massachusetts that is controversial. The proposed bill, if passed, would provide long-term insurance coverage for people who’ve been diagnosed with Lyme disease and are suffering.

Mother Trish McCleary is one of millions of people who suffer from Lyme disease.

She says her symptoms were so severe, that she needed a wheelchair at her worst. Sadly, she had to use her kids’ college tuition funds to help pay for her treatment. And she is not alone: More than 300,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease each year—and the numbers are growing.

McCleary has become her own health advocate since her diagnosis and served on the MA Lyme Disease Commission, so she’s more than familiar about the disease.

She’s outraged that people are not only losing their jobs because of they’ve become disabled, they are losing their homes! She believes that if the bill is successfully passed, that it will help thousands of families across the country. The bill will provide insurance coverage that will be mandatory. As long as a doctor prescribes treatment and the patient is under their care, patients will be awarded coverage regardless of the duration – whether treatment and care is needed for a few weeks to years.

But duh, I’m confused because it seems that Obamacare should already cover this, nationwide?! Is the difficulty because it’s so hard to diagnose in its late stages? Is it because there is no one specific diagnostic test?…

If you or anyone you know is suffering from Lyme disease and can explain the insurance and diagnostic situation better, I’d love to hear from you. I have a feeling I’m not alone.