10. Pro Tips on Fighting the System

Jun 10, 2021

Guest

Dr. David Blumenthal

Guest

AnnMarie McIlwain

Guest

Linda Michelson

Linda Michelson, a seasoned patient advocate with 25 years in medical billing, shares vital strategies for decoding complex medical bills. AnnMarie McIlwain, CEO of Patient Advocators, emphasizes the importance of guided navigation through healthcare challenges. Dr. David Blumenthal discusses systemic inefficiencies and advocates for a patient-first approach to U.S. healthcare. Together, they provide practical tips for reducing costs and highlight the critical role of patient advocates in empowering informed healthcare decisions.

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Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 5min

Navigating Medical Bills: Empowering Patient Advocacy

04:37 • 7min

Navigating Healthcare: The Role of Patient Advocates

11:53 • 5min

Navigating Healthcare Challenges

17:21 • 8min

Navigating Healthcare Costs: Essential Tips for Patients

25:18 • 6min

Rethinking U.S. Healthcare: Competition and Community Health

30:48 • 11min

Envisioning a Patient-First American Healthcare System

41:20 • 2min

In the final episode of the season, David highlights pro tips from the experts themselves: patient advocates Linda Michelson and AnnMarie McIlwain. Dr. David Blumenthal of The Commonwealth Fund joins to shine the light on tangible solutions on how to restructure our national health care system.

Resources from the episode:

Check out Marshall Allen's book, Never Pay the First Bill: And Other Ways to Fight the Health Care System and Win: https://www.marshallallen.com/
Contact Linda Michelson: https://medicalbillproblems.com/
Contact AnnMarie McIlwain and her team: http://www.patientadvocators.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwnueFBhChARIsAPu3YkR5dzaS6o-jIY8ZJUoJZUlRku1bWMVgVYfnn5wQ4F-c1YwmDUbMihIaAnb9EALw_wcB
Keep up with the Commonwealth Fund: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/
AdvoConnection’s patient advocates directory: https://profile.advoconnection.com/
AdvoConnection’s comprehensive overview of patient advocacy: https://www.aphadvocates.org/profession-overview/
National Patient Advocate Foundation’s resources on choosing the best health care plan for you: https://www.npaf.org/patients-and-caregivers/how-to-choose-a-plan/
CoPatient’s resources for making sure your bills are fair and accurate: https://www.copatient.com/

Keep up with David on twitter @CHIDavidSmith.

Share your feedback! Email us at costofcare@lemonadamedia.com or leave us a voicemail at 833-453-6662.

Support for this episode of The Cost of Care comes from Healthline.com, America’s leading digital health brand. Visit healthline.com/costofcare now, and stay connected by following @healthline on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Healthline: Powering healthy actions and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Support for this podcast comes from The Commonwealth Fund, a health care research foundation working to improve the U.S. health system. Visit commonwealthfund.org/costofcare, and stay connected by following us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Commonwealth Fund: Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.

You can click this link for a full list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows.

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