Frequently Asked Questions

Garnet Advocacy provides healthcare advocacy for adults 18 and older. We do not provide pediatric services or advocacy related to pregnancy.Our focus is helping adults and their families navigate complex healthcare situations, understand their options, prepare for conversations with providers, and make informed decisions about their care. If your situation falls outside our scope, we'll be upfront about that and help point you in the right direction when possible.

As a registered nurse, Garnet takes patient privacy and confidentiality seriously. Protecting your personal health information is an essential part of providing ethical, professional healthcare advocacy.Information shared with Garnet is treated confidentially and handled with the same care and discretion you'd expect from a healthcare professional. We'll also be clear about what information we need, why we need it, and how it will be used to support your advocacy needs.

Garnet Advocacy can help with some medical billing and insurance-related issues, but we're not a specialized medical billing or insurance appeals service. We have a working knowledge of billing and appeals and have helped clients with situations such as Medicare appeals, reasonable accommodation letters, and lease terminations related to medical circumstances.For more complex billing disputes or insurance appeals, we'll recommend an appropriate specialist rather than trying to handle something outside our expertise. Our goal is to help you get the right support, even when that means referring you elsewhere

A healthcare advocate helps you navigate the healthcare system when things feel complicated, overwhelming, or simply too much to manage on your own.A healthcare advocate can help you:Understand medical information and your available optionsPrepare for appointments and important conversationsOrganize questions, records, and next stepsCommunicate with healthcare providers and other members of your care teamCoordinate information between different providersIdentify gaps or questions that may need further attentionMake a plan when you're not sure what to do nextHave someone in your corner when you're dealing with a complex health situationYou don't have to figure out the healthcare system by yourself. Garnet provides knowledgeable, practical support so you can spend less energy trying to coordinate everything and more energy focusing on what matters to you.

The more information you can provide at our first meeting, the better we can understand your situation and figure out where to start. You don’t need to have everything perfectly organized. We’ll help you make sense of what you have.If possible, please have:Login information for relevant patient portals, if you have themA list of your healthcare providers, including physicians and specialistsA current medication listOnce you've signed your agreement and confidentiality is in place, you're also welcome to share relevant information with us before we meet. This gives us an opportunity to review your situation ahead of time and make the most of our initial meeting.

Garnet Advocacy can support families from a distance, but the type of support we can provide depends on the situation. For crisis or hospital-based advocacy, being physically present can make a significant difference. Some hospitals or healthcare teams may also be hesitant to work with an advocate who isn't there in person, which can make remote advocacy more challenging.That doesn't mean we can't help.If you're supporting a loved one from another city or state, we can provide a consultation and help you develop a plan for advocating on their behalf. We can help you understand what questions to ask, how to communicate with the healthcare team, and what steps you may want to take next.If there isn't a local healthcare advocate available, we're always happy to explore whether we can support you remotely. The field of nurse advocacy is growing, and we're committed to helping families navigate healthcare in whatever capacity we can.

No.  There’s no long-term contract or ongoing commitment required to work with Garnet Advocacy. You can access our services based on what you need, whether that’s help with a specific healthcare situation or for ongoing support.For in-person appointments, we simply ask that you provide 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule. Appointments cancelled less than 24 hours in advance are subject to a $75 cancellation fee.We want you to have the support you need without feeling locked into something you don’t need.

Patient Advocacy services are not covered by insurance. Medicare reimbursement for patient advocacy services can involve a complex process with significant payout delays which we are unable to support as a small business. Some clients have had success being reimbursed through HSA/FSA. We recommend contacting your administrator to find out whether healthcare advocacy services are eligible for reimbursement and if a letter of medical necessity is required.  We’re happy to provide documentation you may need to submit with your claim, but your HSA/FSA will make the final determination about eligibility.

Patients and their loved ones are always at a disadvantage when it comes to making decisions about medical care. A complicated diagnosis, unexpected decline in health, or traumatic injury can make it nearly impossible for patients and families to advocate for themselves. There are barriers and obstacles around every corner. Sometimes, it’s hard getting answers to the most basic questions.Advocating for yourself as a patient is often problematic for several reasons. First, our healthcare system is complex and intimidating. It can be extremely challenging for patients and their loved ones to make informed decisions, especially during periods of uncertainty like when it’s time to be discharged or when it’s unclear whether a test or procedure will be approved.Furthermore, patients don’t always have access to everything they need in order to make informed decisions, such as their complete medical records, information about treatment options, and the availability of clinical trials.These factors can make it extremely difficult for patients and their families to effectively advocate for themselves. The right Independent Patient Advocate, however, can step in, take charge, and help patients and loved ones speak up when friends and family can't. An RN Patient Advocate "speaks the language", and knows how to tactfully disagree, suggest an alternative or "push back" when your needs aren't being met.

Everyone employed by a health care company is limited to what they can accomplish for patients and families. Hospital-employed patient advocates, navigators, social workers, and discharge planners are no different. They have long lists of patients to see, work long hours , are limited by hospital policy and may fear job retribution for advocating too strongly for a patient's wishes.Independent Patient Advocates, however, work one on one with patients and loved ones to explore options, improve communication, and coordinate with overworked hospital staff. In fact, many Independent Patient Advocates (including myself) used to work for hospitals and healthcare companies before they decided to work directly for patients. ​Another important aspect is "continuity of care". The next time you have an issue, maybe the ambulance brings you to a different hospital, and you start all over with that advocate and set of medical providers who don't know you, and you are left to explain all over again. And when you leave the hospital, that relationship terminates and that advocate is no longer available to you. ​The word "advocate" is also becoming muddled in the healthcare field, especially in insurance. Insurance companies will provide "advocates" that are really more like health coaches (a worthy role, but serves a different purpose) or insurance representatives that guide you on a path that meets your insurance company's goals instead of yours.

There is nothing more important to our quality of life than our health and safety. Often, advocates save money by finding creative ways to ease financial burdens and are aware of additional resources that you may qualify for. Medical costs may decrease with decreased length of hospital stays, repeat tests or duplicate medications.Medicare MAY reimburse, but this is still in the works. You are always free to submit your invoice to insurance to see what reimbursement may be available to you. Most health insurance companies are unwilling to pay Independent Patient Advocates to fight against their own policies and decisions. It is simply not in the best interests of health insurance companies to pay for Independent Patient Advocates.

No. We offer a 30 minute free consultation, after which you will pay a reasonable start-up fee to get the information needed for a productive relationship. This typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours and includes a medical profile, a needs assessment and a plan of care. Our mission is always to be a relief and an asset to you, NEVER an additional stressor.  After this, you may choose to work off of a retainer (~ 6 hours worth of work, and any unused hours are refundable) or hour by hour with payment on file. You can settle your payment and pause (or terminate) the relationship at any time and for any reason. We will always be ready to help you again when you're ready.