Lyme Disease Support Group

corrected link 9-29-11: http://www.lymetap.com/

The Lyme Test Access Program (Lyme-TAP) is a nationwide patient assistance program offered by

Rotary Club of Ferndale Foundation

in coordination with Humboldt Lyme Awareness Group

Applications will be available to download and accepted

Starting November 1st, 2010

2.17.12 phyllis mervine ...

The Lyme Test Access Program (Lyme-TAP) is a nationwide patient assistance program offered by Ferndale Foundation in coordination with Lyme Patients Assistance Group to provide assistance for initial Lyme-related lab tests to patients who demonstrate true financial need.

The program will provide reimbursement for up to 75% of the patient’s out-of-pocket costs (after insurance reimbursement) of testing from any CLIA- or Medicare-approved laboratory of the patient’s choice.[/b]

Many Lyme patients face severe financial hardship and are unable to afford even the cost of the basic diagnostic testing related to Lyme disease and its co-infections.

According to a recent CALDA survey of 3,600 patients with Lyme disease, 41% reported that they were not able to afford the medical care that they needed.

A 2007 study by Himmelstein et al. concluded that nearly two-thirds of all bankruptcies filed are health-care related.

In addition, many patients fail to receive a diagnosis timely, which may allow a disease that is easily treatable to progress to one that is much more serious and difficult to treat.

This program is intended to help patients who are in financial need to obtain early diagnosis.

The goal of LYME-TAP is to help as many patients in need as possible.

It is not intended to cover insurance deductibles or to cover patients not truly in financial need.

Funding is limited and grants are dependent upon available funding.

Determination of financial need will be based on the patient’s insurance status and financial need as stated by the patient in the application form, which must include the completed Healthcare Provider’s Certification of financial need and a copy of the first page of your most recent Form 1040 federal tax return.

Children under 18 years of age are given priority.

LYME-TAP applies funds for qualified lab tests at any CLIA/Medicare-approved laboratory.

This program is only possible through a generous grant from IGeneX, Inc., Reference Laboratory.

We applaud IGeneX for addressing this vital need in the community. LYME-TAP invites other laboratories and individuals to contribute to the LYME-TAP fund.

If you have any questions regarding this program or how to make a donation supporting this program, please contact us on November 1st.

Eligibility requirements:

Applicant must demonstrate true financial need, based on income, dependents and other circumstances

Patients must submit the first page of their Form 1040 federal tax return

Eligible Lab tests must be:

Initial diagnostic Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases

medically necessary

not covered by insurance

not duplicative of other tests

from a CLIA/Medicare-approved laboratory

Patient’s physician must certify:

********************************

patient’s financial need,

lack of insurance coverage for test, and

medical necessity of test

Further information about the Lyme-TAP program as well as the application form and where to send it will be available on November 1st, 2010 when the program starts.

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Post edited by: Bettyg, at: 09/29/2011 12:19 AM

Post edited by: Bettyg, at: 02/17/2012 12:06 PM

jblral

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/8/2537

LymeNet Contributor

Member # 8836

posted 10-18-2010 06:50 PM

Lyme-TAP offers financial assistance for Lyme disease testing

A nationwide program to help financially strapped patients pay for Lyme disease diagnostic tests will start accepting applications November 1.

The Lyme Testing Access Program (Lyme-TAP) will be administered through the Rotary Club of Ferndale Foundation, in coordination with the Humboldt Lyme Awareness Group (HLAG).

It is made possible by a generous grant from IGeneX Reference Laboratory of Palo Alto.

While all three organizations are based in California, people throughout the United States may apply.

“Many patients can’t afford the cost of basic testing,” said Lyme-TAP coordinator Sylviane Schwartz, of HLAG.

“This poses a huge financial burden to patients, who must pay out-of-pocket to get properly diagnosed.”

Lyme-TAP permits testing at any lab of the patient’s choice provided it is certified by Medicare and CLIA (a government designation that sets standards for laboratory testing).

Applicants for assistance must provide evidence of financial need. Their treating physician must also sign the application.

Initial funding for Lyme-TAP comes from a $100,000 grant from IGeneX Labs.

The program gives priority to children, but adults may also apply.

Lyme disease, a bacterial infection spread by ticks, is the fastest growing vector-borne disease in the United States.

It has been reported in all 50 states and many foreign countries.

Schwartz said it can be a complex illness to diagnose clinically because it can mimic other conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and multiple sclerosis.

“Delays in testing often lead to delays in treatment, which can make the disease harder to treat.

Lyme-TAP will address one cause of testing delay – inability to pay,” Schwartz said. “We hope the program will allow more people to be tested and treated early.”

IGeneX, based in Palo Alto, is a reference lab certified by Medicare and CLIA that specializes in clinical and research testing for Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections.

Humboldt Lyme Awareness Group is an educational organization promoting Lyme and tick-borne disease awareness programs in northern California.

HLAG volunteers will coordinate the Lyme-TAP program in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Ferndale Foundation.

The Rotary Club of Ferndale Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization set up to support a variety of community needs.

Rotary’s motto is “service above self.” According to a spokesman, “The Lyme-TAP program is a perfect example of this motto in action.”

To find out more about Lyme-TAP and to download an application form, visit www.lymetap.org.

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Posts: 731 | From California | Registered: Feb 2006

[b]corrected link 9-29-11: http://www.lymetap.com/

bettyg, grou leader, iowa activist, llmd coordinator[/b]

10/19/2010 10:50 AM Top

Jensen16

Funds to get Lyme Testing, financial hardship.

OR the address is:

Humboldt Lyme Awareness Group (HLAG)

Lyme-TAP Program

P.O. Box 2238

McKinleyville

CA 95519

HUGS!

Post edited by: Bettyg, at: 09/29/2011 12:21 AM

The Lyme Test Access Program (Lyme-TAP) is a nationwide patient assistance program offered by Ferndale Foundation in coordination with Lyme Patients Assistance Group to provide assistance for initial Lyme-related lab tests to patients who demonstrate true financial need.

thanks phyllis

bettyg, leader, iowa activist

Post edited by: Bettyg, at: 02/17/2012 12:03 PM