In the United States, why are inpatient labs/imaging/procedures more expensive than the same ones done outpatient?

I understand the nursing care and other inpatient specific things have their cost but the labs, imaging, and procedures take the same amount of effort as if done outpatient. For example, say you have a patient with an isolated tibia fracture from trauma waiting for rehab placement and the primary care provider has already ordered things. Why not draw his IgE allergy test, or do the low dose CT for lung cancer, or screening colonoscopy while inpatient assuming the hospital has the bandwidth. It seems like it would be more efficient for the patient if insurance would cover it especially if the outpatient work was going to be done at the same hospital anyways. I think this is one of the strengths of the Veterans Affairs hospitals where an admitted inpatient can still have outpatient things done.

https://ift.tt/7ROnAF2 Submitted September 07, 2024 at 06:51AM by JarJarAwakens https://ift.tt/A7CDfuP