Walmart Gets Into Health Care
I am EXCITED to see how this plays out.It is astounding to me how locked down certain medical tests are.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?And I pay for insurance. But I just want to be able to monitor my vitals myself, whenever I feel like it.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.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!As important as health is, and as much as Americans spend on it, it is shocking to me how gated everything is.It hurts my health and my pocketbook simultaneously!I've always wondered why a company like Walmart doesn't just provide $20 EKGs, and $25 tooth cleanings.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..?What am I missing? Are there legitimate safety reasons these mundane diagnostics are so locked down?Or are these services available and I just don't know about it?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.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.