Walmart Gets Into Health Care
I am EXCITED to see how this plays out.<p>It is astounding to me how locked down certain medical tests are.<p>Like, if I want an EKG, why can't I just walk in to a place and get it done at a reasonable price? And without a doctor's approval?<p>And I pay for insurance. But I just want to be able to monitor my vitals myself, whenever I feel like it.<p>It seems like it would drive higher utilization of equipment and lower prices if these types of diagnostic tests were readily available at a place like a CVS or a Walmart.<p>I would gladly even pay $50 per month for unlimited access to a place to just come in, get my blood sugar, kidney function, heart function, liver function, etc. tested once per month!<p>As important as health is, and as much as Americans spend on it, it is shocking to me how gated everything is.<p>It hurts my health and my pocketbook simultaneously!<p>I've always wondered why a company like Walmart doesn't just provide $20 EKGs, and $25 tooth cleanings.<p>Like, why is so easy to get a hamburger at any time of day, but like pulling teeth to just run somewhere and get a quick, inexpensive EKG to make sure everything is ok with your heart..?<p>What am I missing? Are there legitimate safety reasons these mundane diagnostics are so locked down?<p>Or are these services available and I just don't know about it?<p>Again, I pay for health insurance, but I still feel like if I want a quick EKG, it will take me 3 weeks to see a doctor, and by then I might be dead. I don't want to see a doctor, I just want an EKG done for my own peace of mind.<p>But health Care is not my area of expertise. So perhaps there are very legitimate reasons these diagnostics and labs are so difficult to self-request at reasonable prices.