Kentucky just put doctor shopping into law to help coal companies avoid paying for black lung

On July 14, the coal industry’s doctor-shopping was enshrined in Kentucky law as a spate of new laws took effect.

One of them, House Bill 2, makes it harder for Kentuckians hurt on the job to qualify for workers compensation to pay for treatment of occupational injuries and diseases, especially if they are coal miners suffering from black lung.

Enacted with mostly Republican votes, the new law excludes the most qualified physicians from being heard in black lung claims.