Nikki says,

<< Doctors can't own the laboratories or x-ray facilities  or durable medical
 equipment stores where they send their patients;  >>

No, but they have the equipment right in their office where they then proceed
to "sell" it to the patient.  Think about it -- if the broken arm needs a
cast, he puts it on the arm, sling too.  Doesn't sent the client off to a med
supply house to get it.  They even get the choice of whether to get the
crutches there or at some other facility.  And they are not given for free.
Bilirubins are drawn in the physcians' office; vaccines are given there, in
some clinics, the entire SMA 20 or 30 is done in the docs office & billed for
it there.  You pay for a pap smear -- you don't go somewhere else to have it
done.

No, the doc can't own the laboratory or the medical supply house.  But he does
have an ultrasound machine in his office, or has an X-ray machine (sometimes)
and does the procedure there.

What's the difference?

Jan -- who rents pumps and will continue to do so, even though her supply is
VERY tiny.