These are great topic ideas!

Another thing I have done is, go to places who may be looking for a speaker and ask THEM what they are interested in having a speaker talk about! You will get all kinds of other ideas. Then that will also broaden your topics.

Once of my most successful sessions was a meeting for a Parkinson’s support group about…[Read more]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, Julie!

I can’t remember if I shared this story in one of our live sessions… I responded to a reporter doing an article because my mentor REALLY pushed me to do so as it was a very relevant topic to me at the time. I was scared to death that I would come out of that interview being misquoted or misrepresented…[Read more]

Yes! I am so proud of you!

As far as the P.O. Box, yes, I totally agree. I rent mine from our local Post Office because I can use that street address.

My “address” is:
A Voice for You Patient Advocacy
1715 Linnerud Dr. #694
Sun Prairie, WI 53590

If I get a large package then they put a large locker key into my mailbox and I can retrieve it…[Read more]

PLATFORM
Hospitalized patients and individuals seeking hospital-based healthcare.
Website with blog.

PROFILE
Occupational Therapist (M.A. USC)
UCLA Patient Advocacy Certificate Program
Motivational Interviewer
100 Days to Launch Your Practice (in progress)
Advocate for family and friends
School of Hard Knocks as a patient (especially around…[Read more]

Hi Emily,

How fantastic that you studied for a year in Madrid. I did the Salzburg Semester when as an undergrad at The University of Redlands.

I love this as one of your categories: “Receiving New Diagnoses.” There is so much to unpack there for clients including emotional, physical, financial and responsibilities to others issues. I will als…[Read more]

You welcome!

Thank you for your input! I shared it with the patient and she is so grateful for suggestions. If she needs any follow up / direct help I will let folks know. Thanks again @Dalia and @Victoria

Hi Deb,
I wasn’t familiar with this type of exclusion until I looked into it, but it seems TMJ surgery is often not covered by either medical or dental insurance. From what I’ve learned, it may help to review the patient’s full plan, consider an appeal with medical necessity documentation, or explore options like payment plans, hospital chari…[Read more]

Thank you! this is very helpful!

Hi.

I just found an alternative that may be considered for the patient. Is called the Urbanek TMJ Device and Protocol. Apparently was cleared by the FDA:

https://www.urbanektmj.com/how-it-works#:~:text=A%20TMJ%20SOLUTION%20THAT%20ACTUALLY%20WORKS%2C&text=The%20Urbanek%20Device%20is%20the,proven%2095%25%2B%20success%20rate.

Hi, Deb.

Most health insurances in Puerto Rico do not cover TMJ treatment neither. If her health insurance policy directly excludes services for such specific diagnosis, then they definitely won’t pay for it. If she doesn’t have the policy at hand to confirm if such exclusion was included, I mean if she’s only been told, my first suggestion would…[Read more]

Io, we have experience with several types of breast cancer including invasive ductal carcinoma that is hormone positive, but not at the VA or UCSD.

AnnMarie McIlwain