Coventry Cares ignited another dispute over health-care coverage Thursday by refusing to authorize new payments for Buprenorphin, a narcotic commonly prescribed under the brand name Suboxone, an expensive medication that helps treat people with drug dependencies. Harrodsburg-based SelfRefind, a network of addiction clinics, alleges that Coventry violated its state contract and federal law by denying the coverage. The company, which operates about a dozen clinics across the state, is asking the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to intervene and could file suit as early as Friday seeking a court-ordered injunction against Coventry Cares. The cabinet has issued a statement citing a violation of contract and calling on the company to continue payments. The cabinet believes that Coventry cannot take this unilateral action without the cabinet’s approval.
