Question: Hi, I need some advice. I am a 23 year old female and I have ADHD. I have suffered from lack of concentration, organization and other symptoms since I was a child because my parents do not think that mental health issues are actual treatable illnesses, so didn't believe ADHD was a real condition, so never got me treated for it, (I'm pretty sure my father has it and just doesn't get treated for it honestly as we share symptoms) and I have finally found a medication regime that is working for me after working with my doctor for the past two years and trying multiple different combinations. Before I started getting treatment, my ADHD caused me to do badly in classes, get into arguments with friends and family because they hated how much I interrupted them, etc., it was just disrupting my life. It wasn't easy for me to admit I had a problem anyway, but I did, and am finally functioning normally and can finally feel good about myself. I always blamed my issues on my personality but when I got my diagnosis it was such a relief.
So I went to my doctor (primary care physician--family doctor) in Indiana this past week (I currently attend graduate school in Oxford Ohio and come from XXXXXXX Indiana, which is right on the border of Ohio, so I just stayed with my old doctor for convenience), and she said I had to take a drug test for her to keep prescribing me my medication. I said okay, no big deal, but my insurance company told me they wouldn't cover it since it wasn't a medically necessary test, and I can't afford to pay for it out of pocket. I explained this to my doctor and she said she couldn't prescribe me my medication anymore, even though she's been treating me for this for two years now. Like I said, I've just started feeling better over the past 6 months or so, so am very worried now about what I'm going to do. Is this is a federal law? From what I read, for ADHD medications, the doctor isn't required to drug test unless they are concerned about substance abuse. My doctor told me that it was her new policy when I asked why she was requiring it, and reassured me that she knew I wasn't abusing them, but yet still won't see me without a drug test even though the only way I can take it is to put myself into debt. I would be more than happy to take it if I could afford it/if my insurance covered it, but since it doesn't, I am not sure what to do. Can you please help me? Is this a new federal law? Or is it an Indiana law? Or is it just her policy? I currently live in Oxford Ohio, so is it an Ohio policy too? Like I said, I read medical laws in Indiana and Ohio and from what I saw, it's not required, but I could be wrong about that. What advice do you have for me? Are there any programs to help people pay for drug tests if they are required?
Thank you so much.