Bill > SB969

This bill requires certain health insurance providers, including nonprofit health service plans and health maintenance organizations (HMOs), to cover the full duration of long-term antibiotic treatment for Lyme disease and related tick-borne illnesses when prescribed by a licensed physician for therapeutic purposes, meaning to manage symptoms. Long-term antibiotic treatment is defined as the administration of antibiotics for more than four weeks, and Lyme disease is broadly defined to include various stages and manifestations of infection with *Borrelia burgdorferi* and other identified tick-borne bacteria, as well as related illnesses like bartonellosis and babesiosis. The bill also prohibits these entities from placing any quantitative limits on or denying coverage for this treatment, even if it might otherwise be considered unproven, experimental, or investigational. This legislation will apply to policies and plans issued, delivered, or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2027.