Gov. Beshear visited Pikeville Medical Center and discussed health care and black lung with Rep. Angie Hatton of Whitesburg. Gov. Beshear and Hatton, a sponsor of HB 239, called for passage of the bill, which would allow qualified physicians to perform exams for potential black lung cases.
Under current laws, only board-certified pulmonary specialists can perform exams. There are currently only four pulmonologists in the state that qualify, which forces miners either to go undiagnosed or to travel long distances for care.
“At a time when black lung is being diagnosed at near-epidemic levels, miners who suffer from black lung need to have more doctors to choose from and access to clinics in the coalfields,” said Representative Angie Hatton. “Arbitrarily eliminating radiologists from the list of qualified B Readers serves no legitimate purpose and sends miners the message that their needs are not important.”