> You see a cardiologist and they recommend a stent. They aren’t going to recommend a different cardiologist does it.
Things must be different in NZ.
First, it's true that you're going to want to go to who your doctor knows/recommends. The law in the US is just that they can't refer you to a group they own/their spouse owns, or for which they get a financial benefit.
Next, you're speaking about the doctor doing a consult visit before doing a procedure. That is not the same thing as ordering a treatment for you to go get the treatment elsewhere—which describes what happens you go to the pharmacist to get drugs.
Finally, the cardiologist you see in the office is almost certainly not doing stents for you as those are very distinct skillsets (in the US).
Things must be different in NZ.
First, it's true that you're going to want to go to who your doctor knows/recommends. The law in the US is just that they can't refer you to a group they own/their spouse owns, or for which they get a financial benefit.
Next, you're speaking about the doctor doing a consult visit before doing a procedure. That is not the same thing as ordering a treatment for you to go get the treatment elsewhere—which describes what happens you go to the pharmacist to get drugs.
Finally, the cardiologist you see in the office is almost certainly not doing stents for you as those are very distinct skillsets (in the US).