<prompt> Human: My wife has a chronic medical condition for which there is no cure and shes been on pain medication for the better part of 5 years. Every once in a while a doctor will ask her to take a drug test. I can understand that... opioids are abused, etc.The situation is this. Were with a new doctor as we just moved across the country. After 6 months of seeing this doctor he informed us that she needed to take a drug test. No big deal we think, her pill usage is completely above board and itll take a few minutes. So she takes the test and all is well.Today we got a letter from our insurance company that the drug test cost 700 and they theyre only covering 180 of that and that were liable for the remaining 520. We havent gotten a bill from the hospital yet.To me this seems insane. At no point was the ridiculous cost brought up, its a test she didnt need, and there has been zero reason for them to ask for a drug test pill loss, etc, etc to lend towards the necessity of her taking the test.Can we simply contest this with the hospital? It seems crazy that were being blindsided with this crazy 700 cost for a test that our doctor wanted for his own peace of mind.Assistant: If she is going to a pain management specialist you may want to review the paperwork you signed when you first started going there. Because of all of the new regulations at least in California regarding pain meds, doctors are requiring random drug tests that you are indeed responsible for paying for to ensure that patients arent exceeding prescribed dosages and to make sure that they ARE taking it and arent selling their meds. It may be that laws mandate your doctor issue these tests. They were part of the reason I decided NOT to see a pain mgmt doc and instead just live with pain. Human: Ill have to check out our paperwork. I understand that drug tests are needed, etc. It just seems like, Oh, btw... its gonna cost you 500 to pee in this cup would be something to say. They were part of the reason I decided NOT to see a pain mgmt doc and instead just live with pain.We wish that were an option. If she goes untreated shell go into muscle spasms, her bones will break-down, and shell quite literally lose her ability to function in the most basic ways like hold a glass to take a drink. See CRPS.  <response>: t just seems like, Oh, btw... its gonna cost you 500 to pee in this cup would be something to say.This is not something your doctor knows. Doctor has no idea what insurance you have, what it covers, etc. They likely also have no idea what the drug test costs, period. They do not handle billing or insurance generally. 