Consumers are expected to shoulder a bigger financial responsibility for their health. Consumers will have a greater say in what tests are ordered. \r
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This is not what happened to me when I used MEDlink when my primary care physician was not available for a lung/chest pain when breathing. Even though they were informed that I was taking Synthroid and under my doctors care for a Thryoid condition they went ahead and ordered a Thryoid Panel for $174. \r
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I have yet to be informed of the results and have yet been able to figure out how the Thyroid condition that was being treated would contribute to having a breathing/lung infection?. (Pleurisy, sp??)\r
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As long as there is a fee for every service performed, there will continue to be an underlying financial incentive to order tests. That’s the simple reality – interpret that as you wish.
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