The CMP is a standard blood test that most people get for a routine check-up with the intended purpose of giving you a complete picture of your metabolic health. However, based on my personal experience, I argue that the current CMP gives you an incomplete picture of your metabolic health by overlooking key biomarkers which leads to undiagnosed heath issues and prolonged unnecessary suffering.
In order to fix this problem, I propose that we add more biomarker tests to the CMP by including tests that measure people’s hemoglobin A1C and insulin. For men, include the measuring of testosterone levels, free testosterone, estrogen, and SHGB.
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I agree. Adding extra tests is one of the cheapest things in medicine–yet most doctors order small, useless panels.
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This can already be done. It just costs more money. It is an option.
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I would like all nutrient levels to be added. How many people are deficient in key nutrients like magnesium or vitamin B complex? We also need a lot more nutrition focus in healthcare.
I agree that insulin levels should be included as people can have normal blood sugar, but have an abnormal insulin level that could indicate diabetes will occur in the future, if things are not reversed.
I do not think A1C should be added unless insulin or glucose levels are abnormal. A1C should be in the normal range if both insulin and glucose are in the normal range. A1C is also done in the office rather than as a send out blood test.
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Agree. The actual cost of these labs are low, but health practitioners have significant markup. Lab work is a highly profitable area in the medical industry. And it is an industry, make no mistake of that. Not trying to sell anything, but I have used grassrootslabs.com in the past which is a low cost mechanism for lab work. Just to give an idea of the kind of markup: Testosterone Free and Total
CPT: 84402, 84403
MARKET PRICE: $277
PRICE: $67.78
SAVINGS: $209.22.
Another area that is grossly abused by hospital systems to gouge customers is MRI and CT scans. A CT scan was quoted for $3500 but the scan was obtained from an independent provider for $250. And that cost included the radiologist fee and an electronic copy of the scan results on a CD as well as all results sent to the doctor.
The problem is threefold: lack of price transparency allows providers to bury costs; bureaucratic bloat forces organizations to inflate prices to pay for overhead; and shortsighted budget practices that are more concerned with generating income than providing healthcare.
If you want to look for cost saving ideas, then look no further than all of the pop-up medical services occurring nationwide: Weight loss treatment, hormone therapy, independent, labs, age-related specialties, concierge doctors.
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You maybe exposing patients to undue work ups and anxiety. For example , testosterone levels need to be at a certain time and fasting. I’m sure insulin may require this too. The levels fluctuate I’m sure greatly. People may end up getting million dollar work ups over nothing.
Patients are free to pursue these labs on their own individually. It shouldn’t be added in a CMP. Someone with kidney and liver failure don’t need an insulin or test level added everytime the doc is trending the these labs.
An IM or endo can probably speak more intelligibly though.
For men?..not women also?