Tax Time! Can Your Clients Deduct Your Patient Advocacy Services?

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(With apologies to Canadian advocates – this post is targeted to taxpayers in the United States.) This question pops up about this time each year – whether or not patient advocacy services are a ‘qualified medical expense’ in the eyes of the IRS; whether or not your clients can deduct your bills in order to reduce their tax liabilities. Keeping in mind that I am not an IRS representative, nor am I a CPA or tax preparer, I still say – go for it – at least for many of the services we advocates provide. Why not try? Hear me …

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Is Patient Advocacy Certification on the Horizon?

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The quick answer to that question: it depends on how far away you define horizon. The more accurate answer to that question: a definite maybe. The more exciting answer to that question: yes! And now everyone’s favorite – answering a question with another question: That depends. Will you get involved? No promises here – but at least a good head start. A notice is being sent to thousands of patient and health advocates and navigators over the next several days, providing them with the status of a new certification or credential-development initiative, and – very importantly – inviting them to …

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Ticked Off Applicants Help Us Clarify the Mission

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burning words

(Updated February 2019) Since the first of the year, we’ve had a record number of applications for membership in the Alliance of Professional Health Advocates (APHA), in particular those who want to be included in the AdvoConnection Directory. You may know that we have two kinds of memberships: PACE memberships for those who are just beginning to plan for a private advocacy practice (and who do not appear in the directory.) And Premium memberships for those who are preparing to be listed in the AdvoConnection Directory by patients or caregivers who are looking for help. It may surprise you to …

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Hospital Providers Come to Patient Advocates’ Defense

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Last week I had the opportunity to speak to two groups of hospital quality personnel; those folks who work in hospitals who are charged with overseeing the safety of their patients. They are QIOS, that is, Quality Improvement Officers – and their jobs depend on making sure that their body of patients this year are safer than their body of patients were last year, that next year’s patients are safer than this year’s, and so forth. My overall message was “let patient’s help”- the idea that no one cares as much about a patient’s good outcomes than the patient and …

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Bring It On! Forum Fireworks Erupt Again

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One of the most valuable resources any profession has is access to other people who are also invested in the interests of that profession. The internet and social media, of course, provide an opportunity to access this valuable resource on a global scale. … Which means that participants, including professionals and the people who are striving to join their professional ranks, come from a variety of backgrounds and attitudes, environments, personalities and life views. Now, mix that together with a specific profession – patient advocacy – where its proponents are highly passionate about their work. Add a dash of mixed …

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An Advocate’s Allegiance Makes All the Difference

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Just in the past week alone, I’ve been asked three times why someone would hire a private patient advocate when there are so many other forms of help available. What other forms would those be? A variety: hospital patients can call on the hospital’s patient advocate for help cancer patients find navigators to help them through treatment insurance customers can call their customer service rep, or even an insurance company patient advocate a newly diagnosed patient can often find that large disease advocacy organizations, like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or the American Diabetes Association, will provide an advocate to …

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If I Could File a Lawsuit, I Would

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I’m really angry at the investment firm Morgan Stanley – really angry. I have had to deal with them since my father died, trying to manage and move a small IRA my sisters and I inherited, and they have done their utmost to make that impossible. I’ve told the story at my About.com blog because the bottom line is – if there was such a thing as a financial services advocate, I would hire him or her. That’s a great lesson for patients, with similar concepts applied to their medical care, and will hopefully make some of your phones ring, …

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