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Is fasting required for a basic metabolic panel?

Yes, fasting is required for a BMP. You will need to fast for a period of 8 to 12 hours before getting your blood taken. You are not allowed to eat anything, and you can only drink calorie-free fluids like water. You are allowed to continue taking your medications as prescribed.

Fasting ensures the results of your blood work are accurate. Eating or drinking before your BMP can cause your blood sugar to spike and leave you with inaccurate glucose measurements. It also affects your electrolyte balance and can lead to erroneous results regarding your kidney function.

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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