Here we aim to answer the most common questions you might have, but feel free to contact us at any time.
What do you charge?
The initial consultation is free so you can decide whether Patient Providers will be a good fit for you, at no cost, and to get you some starting advice. Thereafter, the fee to work with Patient Providers is $105 per hour, billed hourly, with a one-hour minimum, which includes tax and fees. We ask that the first five hours each be paid up-front, with subsequent hours billable on a net-30 pay schedule.
Are your services tax deductible?
Section 502 of the IRS Tax Code allows you to deduct for the mitigation of a disease, which may offset your costs. Consult your accountant for details.
Do you take insurance?
Patient Providers does not accept insurance at this time. By not contracting with insurance companies we can act squarely on your behalf. This allows us to support you beyond the medical field, to work, school, community, interpersonal, and other important areas of your life.
How do we meet?
Patient Providers is based in Baltimore, Maryland. We can meet on Skype, Google Hangouts, or talk on the phone. Meeting in this way allows us to work with you from within reach of our resource library. For local clients, arrangements can be made to meet in the community.
My provider won’t listen to me. Can you talk to them?
The goal of Patient Providers is to always have you in control of your care, as independently as possible. (That’s called self-determination.) That said, we are happy to liaise on your behalf at our standard fee with your providers to help you get and keep your foothold on your right to make informed choices. Because Patient Providers does not provide therapy or medical advice we are clearly an intermediary between you and your provider. We encourage them to listen and provide tools for both of you communicate more effectively. When necessary, we can help you escalate, get timely results, and find new ones.
My provider won’t give me the (test | medication | treatment) that I need. Can you help?
A provider has to make decisions based on their training, experience, the practice’s policies, your insurance policies, and their own moral compass. Any one of those categories can conflict with another. We can’t and wouldn’t force a provider to go against their training. However, we will research medical cases, programs, policies, and paths of escalation to help you state your case. Not every provider is a good fit for every client, and if necessary we can help you transition to a new provider. Every effort is made to preserve relationships with the providers you want involved in your care.
What do I get for my money?
That depends on what you need. To find that out, we start by listening. We follow up with a discussion summary that may include case notes, actionable items, goals, strategies, and more. We can help with document preparation, research, organization and case management, communication, appeals, and much more.