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So why not order your own labs? I'm sure you can think of ways to get your own medications if you are sufficiently convinced that this is the best course of action for your health.

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Because you can't order many of your own labs, and then insurance won't pay for them.

> you can't order many of your own labs

Really? Which ones?

> insurance won't pay for them

Non sequitur, replacing doctors with AI will not help you pay for the preposterous US healthcare system. Vote!

> > you can't order many of your own labs > Really? Which ones?

There are extremely short lists of labs you can order yourselves. Virtually all of them are not on those short lists?

I would love to hear of any specific example, I will happily either show you how to order it or learn something myself.

Arterial blood gas. Calcium score (may not count as a lab). Skin biopsy for cancer (does it count as a lab?). I'm unaware how to order my own troponin if I think I've had a heart attack (not that that's one I should DIY diagnosis). Prostate specific antigen.

Several of those are more procedures than labs. Of course you can't get someone to do a procedure on you for free. Arterial sticks and biopsies may have nontrivial risks (and commensurate liability risk for the performing provider).

PSA and troponin seem trivial to get. Did you look?

i do

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