In a recent Wall Street Journal article, it was reported that Millennium Health, the nation’s largest drug-testing laboratory, is negotiating a settlement of approximately $250 million over allegations that it billed the federal government for unnecessary tests, which included charging for “high-tech” tests meant to confirm the findings of cheaper, “simple” drug screenings even when those screenings produced normal results. The article focuses on the benefits and drawbacks of changing the Medicare payment system to discourage over-utilizing high-tech tests, and in doing so it overlooks a vital point: there is no reliable simple method for comprehensive drug monitoring. High-tech is the only option.
