Contact your potential healthcare provider and ask if the following are in or out of network with your insurance carrier as this impacts the rate at which your insurance will pay a portion of your bill. Sit down with someone who can give you a treatment plan in writing and have a list of questions ready before you go (length of stay, follow-up visits, medications, cost, etc.)

• Patient Advocate Foundation: A national 501 (c)(3) non-profit charity that provides direct services to patients with chronic, life threatening and debilitating diseases to help access care and treatment recommended by their doctor.

• Facility Patient Advocates: are intended to provide solutions for patients who are having problems with their hospital stays. But hospital patient advocates will find that they do not enjoy a pure responsibility to the patient when employed by a hospital. Hospital patient advocates get their paychecks from the hospital.

• State Medical Board: To place a complaint, contact your state medical board and file by phone or electronic submission. The agency will conduct an investigation of your complaint and act accordingly.