Joint Budget Committee Reports On Cost Of Implementing Lyme Disease Program

The Joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee Wednesday issued a report estimating the costs of implementing a Lyme and tick-borne disease surveillance, education, prevention and treatment program in Pennsylvania (Act 2014-83).

Pennsylvania has nearly 6,500 confirmed cases of Lyme disease, about 3,000 more than the next closest state.  From 2009 to 2014, Pennsylvania had the most confirmed cases of any state in 5 of those 6 years.

The Joint Committee provided these costs estimates based recommendations made by the Task Force on Lyme Disease--

-- $60 million: Electronic reporting of Lyme disease cases;

-- $11.5 million: For a 5-year Lyme disease public awareness campaign;

-- $8.8 million: Conduct an epidemiologic study of Lyme disease;

-- $4.4 million: Install 4-Poster System using rollers to paint DEET on deer around schools and parks, with annual maintenance costs of $2.7 million; and

-- $772,000: Develop and distribute information brochures on Lyme disease to family doctors;

A copy of the Joint Committee report is available online.

For more background on this disease, visit the Department of Health’s Lyme Disease webpage.