Under a new Kentucky law aimed at curbing prescription drug abuse, patients using controlled substances long-term have to submit to urine tests that aren’t always covered by insurance.
Retired nurse Cynthia Burton told the Lexington Herald-Leader that her insurer declined to pay $533 dollars for a urine test that her husband took to get his anxiety medication because it wasn’t medically necessary. She recently took a urine test to get her insomnia medication, and although she hasn’t received any notifications, she expects the same result.
Governor Beshear says he is aware of the concerns and understands the cost may be prohibitive for some patients. He says officials are working to find a solution to the problem.