“Expect to have an identity crisis.” During the last few months, as I have prepared to retire from Healthassist, well intentioned friends, colleagues, and retirement experts have all sounded this warning bell.
Be prepared to “reinvent yourself,” “to grieve the loss of your professional identity,” and to spend the first year “rediscovering who you really are.” What I always thought of as a condition of adolescence and middle age threatens the later stage of life as well.
With all due respect for the concern, I am not going to have an “identity crisis” when I retire! Why am I so confident that this will not be my plight? Because as I separate from Healthassist, I have never been more sure of who I am.
In the past 55 years of my employment history, I have worked in the non-profit sector, for the government, and for corporate entities. While all my jobs have expanded my knowledge and honed my professional skills, Healthassist provided me the opportunity to work without the constraints of nonprofit budgets, politics, and inflexible corporate policy. My position as an Insurance Advisor allowed me to practice my true calling, to give what stirs my soul a name — I am an advocate.
As a natural born advocate (the oldest girl in a family of six), I had an irrepressible desire to speak up, to use my voice when others were silenced. This got me in a lot of trouble in my youth and frankly, it still does. I am vocal, stubborn, and relentless — qualities that also serve me well in navigating the health care industry on behalf of our Healthassist clients.
Dianne Savastano taught me that when advocating for our clients, we are never to accept no for answer when we need yes. She has structured a business and created a culture at Healthassist that gives us the freedom to always do what is in the best interest of our clients.
As I contemplate both my past and my future at this juncture, I have asked myself to reflect upon the circumstances when advocacy has provided the most impact and achieved the best results. Why do our clients come back to us repeatedly? Why do our clients refer us to their colleagues, friends, and family so often?
The following list of circumstances came to mind as situations where it would be wise to call upon Healthassist. And by the way, if my comments sound like a blatant sales pitch for Healthassist, well, they are. I am unabashedly promoting this business as I depart, because I know from my experience the absolute value of the Healthassist brand of advocacy.
Contact Healthassist if…
The idea of finding your own health insurance fills you with terrible anxiety.
Many of us are intimidated, confused, and have little experience with evaluating a health insurance policy or wading through the intricacies of Medicare. Mistakes can be costly and irreversible.
Healthassist will guide you through this complicated process with expertise and efficiency.
You aren’t up for a fight.
Healthcare systems, insurance companies, billing agencies, even physician offices can be notoriously difficult to interact with. Ask anyone who has struggled with understanding a hospital bill or claim denial, or needs medication their insurance company does not cover. Perhaps you are ill, or you lack the energy, the patience, or the tenacity to resolve issues with these entities.
Health insurance advisors at Healthassist have decades of combined experience in navigating health care obstacles.
You don’t know where to begin, who to ask, or what to do.
Imagine you are in an HMO plan. You are diagnosed with a rare condition and the only doctors who specialize in the treatment of your disease within the HMO network cannot see you for six months. Where do you turn for help?
Healthassist understands that insurance issues and managing a complex health condition go hand in hand. Our insurance advisors work collaboratively with their clinically-focused team members to ensure our clients receive the maximum benefits from their insurance policy.
You are navigating unfamiliar terrain.
Medical terminology is foreign to you. You tried to listen to the doctor explain their concern, but you don’t understand half of what was said.
Our clinical advocates can attend appointments with you, explain complex medical issues in plain language, and ask questions you might not think about asking of your healthcare team.
You tend to procrastinate.
Health conditions are often exacerbated when medical appointments are put off.
There are enrollment deadlines for open-market insurance coverage and enrollment into Medicare.
The Healthassist team works diligently to keep our clients on track. Much of our work is deadline-driven. We will not let you “fall through the cracks.”
You have difficulty making decisions.
It is common for our clients to have multiple options for health insurance coverage. Each spouse has a different plan open to both, your company offers several different options, you may need to choose between a company-sponsored retirement plan and Medicare.
Healthassist does the math. Our advisors create detailed spreadsheets and present the pros and cons of each choice. While we do not make decisions for our clients, the choice is often obvious after careful review.
You are too emotionally involved in a situation to act objectively.
Healthcare and insurance decisions are often family matters and, unbelievably, sometimes families disagree on what may be best for their loved ones! Emotions like guilt and fear cloud our judgement, at times compelling us to make poor decisions.
Healthassist acts as a neutral party to help manage expectations, guide in decision making, and deescalate a crisis.
During my tenure at Healthassist, I served as an advocate in several of the situations I have described. I am grateful to the clients who trusted me with such critically important work. I leave behind a leader and a team of empaths, equally skilled in the art and science of advocacy — please, trust them too.