www.beaconpatientsolutions.com :: (617) 651-2140

The Patient Advocate You Need

Volume 5, Issue 8, December 2022

Hi Subscriber First Name,

It’s hard to believe we are wrapping up 2022!

This month’s newsletter highlights health care advocacy in the news and shares details regarding an important new survey that measures the impact of patient and health care advocacy!

As always, you can help others learn more about the importance and impact of working with an independent board certified patient advocate and the solutions I work toward simply by passing my name and this newsletter along to friends, family members, and colleagues.

Navigating the complexities of the healthcare system can be stressful and time consuming. Contact me so that I can help ease the burden.

Thank you for your support,
Ailene Gerhardt, MA, BCPA
Independent Board Certified Patient Advocate
Founder, Beacon Patient Solutions LLC
Founder, Navigating Solo Network

This month’s newsletter includes:

• Survey on the Impact of Patient and Health Care Advocacy

• Health Care Advocacy in the News

• How I Can Help

To access the survey, click on this link or scan the QR code above. Completion of this confidential survey should take approximately 10 minutes. The deadline for completion of the survey is December 20th, 2022. The findings of this survey will be presented in the Spring of 2023.

In order for us to get the maximize value from the acquired information, we encourage you to share the Survey on the Impact of Patient and Health Care Advocacy with individuals, organizations, and institutions associated with professional patient and health care advocates.

October 2022: I had the fantastic opportunity to represent Beacon Patient Solutions LLC & the Navigating Solo Network and speak with wonderful professionals attending the Massachusetts Council on Aging Fall Conference, Falmouth, MA.

Beacon Patient Solutions in the News:

• National Association of Healthcare Advocacy (NAHAC), I was elected Vice President of the Board of Directors in October and also serve on the NAHAC membership committee. NAHAC has a lot of exciting things planned for 2023, including the launch of a brand new website!

• AARP, October 2022: When Denial Gets in the Way of Long-Term Care Planning
  

• Next Avenue, November 2022: Transportation To Medical Appointments Can Be Tricky For Solo Agers!
  

• MarketWatch, November 2022: Your spouse is diagnosed with a serious disease. Now what?
  

• Thanks to the Massachusetts Taskforce to End Loneliness & Build Community for interviewing me for their series CONNECT. Listen to the interview here.

Navigating the Holiday Season:

• Recorded Presentation: Creative Ways for Solo Agers to Navigate the Holidays, November 2022
  

• Blog Post: Creative Ways to Navigate the Holiday Season, November 2022

Health Care Advocacy in the News:

• Health Affairs: ‘I Am Not The Doctor For You’: Physicians’ Attitudes About Caring For People With Disabilities

• The No Surprises Act protects people covered under group and individual health plans from receiving surprise medical bills when they receive most emergency services, non-emergency services from out-of-network providers at in-network facilities, and services from out-of-network air ambulance service providers. Read more here!

• WebMD: Be Your Own Health Advocate

How I Can Help!

There are many ways healthcare consumers can benefit from working with an independent patient advocate.

Consultations:
I often work with clients over weeks or months to help them reach their healthcare advocacy goals. Sometimes, the opportunity to ask questions or talk through a healthcare situation is the only immediate service a prospective client may initially need. To assist, I offer the opportunity to schedule a one hour phone consultation to meet that need. Email me to find out more.

Additional Services Include: research regarding a recent diagnosis, care coordination, preparation for an upcoming medical appointment, compiling and filing insurance/Medicare appeals, understanding medical bills, and insurance coverage and more!

Are you or do you know a solo ager? The SOLO AGERS Advocacy Initiative was created to meet the support and planning needs of Solo Agers. Initiative members work one-on-one with me to identify and organize healthcare concerns, carefully craft their support team, and learn how to navigate the opportunities and challenges of solo aging. Now is the perfect time to get started! Join a Navigating Solo discussion group to connect with others!

Community Education Talks: I have offered over 90 talks hosted by community and professional organizations in Belmont, Brookline, Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, Needham, Newton, Sudbury, Watertown, Wellesley, and Winchester since 2018!

Visit my Speaking Engagements web page to book a talk for your group, organization, or community.

About Beacon Patient Solutions LLC:
Beacon Patient Solutions LLC helps clients navigate the choppy waters of today’s complex healthcare system by empowering them to become educated and confident health care consumers. We are client focused, uniquely knowledgeable, and engage clients to ask the right questions, seek good answers, and secure reliable resources.  We provide patient advocacy services in the Greater Boston Area, throughout Massachusetts, and nationwide. Visit our website to learn more:  www.beaconpatientsolutions.com.