$450,000 added into ‘sick’ building fund

[Guest guest]

$450,000 added into `sick' building fund

NEAL P. GOSWAMI

Posted: 01/12/2010 10:55:22 PM EST

Bennington, VT

http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_14176257

BENNINGTON -- A state official told lawmakers Tuesday that $450,000 is needed to

help pay for medical and lost wage claims filed by state employees who

contracted a rare disease in the now closed Bennington state office building.

Buildings and General Services Commissioner Gerald Myers briefed members of the

House Corrections and Institutions Committee on the fund that pays for the

claims of six state workers who contracted the sarcoidosis while working in the

Bennington office complex.

" It's just a matter of replenishing the fund, " Myers said.

New treatments?

Rep. Browning, D-Arlington, a member of the committee, said lawmakers

learned Tuesday that at least four individuals with sarcoidosis may seek new,

experimental treatments that the state must cover.

" How much it's going to cost depends on the claims that they put forward that

are certified as valid, " Browning said. " We really made a commitment to try and

care for these employees, and we have to honor that, " she said.

The $450,000 will be part of the annual mid-year budget adjustment. Because the

sarcoidosis fund does not have a dedicated funding source, lawmakers must

approve requests each year from the general fund.

" There's not a pot of $10 million sitting somewhere that I just draw down, "

Myers said.

The final decision to appropriate the funds belongs is the responsibility of the

House Appropriations Committee, but House Corrections and

Institutions Committee members are supportive, Browning said.

Myers said the state has spent a total of about $600,000 on claims since the

fund was created. Payments for claims will continue to be paid " until there's a

medical end, " he said.

" You just keep making sure that you're taking care of the benefits of the

claimants, " Myers said.

The fund was established in 2007 to provide benefits to the six workers

diagnosed with sarcoidosis in lieu of regular workers' compensation. Typical

workers' compensation benefits would have been difficult to obtain because there

is no known cause of the disease.

Contact Neal P. Goswami at ngoswami@...

[Guest guest]

actually there has been a bacteria isolated from scarcoidosis lungs that is

believed to play a role in scarcoidosis. well see if I can locate that.

>

> $450,000 added into `sick' building fund

> NEAL P. GOSWAMI

> Posted: 01/12/2010 10:55:22 PM EST

> Bennington, VT

>

> http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_14176257

>

>

> BENNINGTON -- A state official told lawmakers Tuesday that $450,000 is needed

to help pay for medical and lost wage claims filed by state employees who

contracted a rare disease in the now closed Bennington state office building.

>

> Buildings and General Services Commissioner Gerald Myers briefed members of

the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on the fund that pays for the

claims of six state workers who contracted the sarcoidosis while working in the

Bennington office complex.

>

> " It's just a matter of replenishing the fund, " Myers said.

>

> New treatments?

>

> Rep.