Health Access Ministry Volunteer Advocacy Training Program

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History | Mission | Description | What is a Volunteer Advocate

History:
In 1996 Nancy Davenport-Ennis, a two time breast cancer survivor, founded the Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) in memory of Cheryl Grimmel, a breast cancer patient who died after battling the disease for three years.  Cheryl provided inspiration for Nancy to become personally involved in insurance reform and patient education on behalf of cancer patients through their friendship and her valiant example as she battled with both the disease and her insurer.

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Mission:
PAF is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients with chronic, life threatening and/or debilitating illnesses through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability.  Professional case managers and a national network of health care attorneys serve a active liaisons between patients and their insurer, employer and/or creditors to resolve matters relative to their diagnosis.

Mission Statement: To empower people and assure them of access to their health care benefits.

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Description:
The Health Access Ministry provides free training for faith based advocates to assist people who are struggling to gain access to healthcare.  The advocates seek to empower people and to assure them of access to all of their healthcare benefits.

This program will train volunteers to directly assist insured citizens with managed care questions, interpretation of billing statements and insurance correspondence.  As a trained advocate you will be able to assist others in understanding their health care choices, and provide them with assistance in overcoming medical denials.

For more information about Patient Advocate Foundation call (800) 532-5274 or visit their web site at www.patientadvocate.org 

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What is a Volunteer Advocate?
Volunteer Advocates are trained lay men and women from your local community working to assist individuals with questions and concerns about access to health care benefits.  The volunteer advocates are a part of a network of advocacy teams under the supervision of Parish Nurses and a consulting physician.  The Parish nurses also provide the linkage with case managers and consultants from the Patient Advocate Foundation.

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For information contact Susan Wahlstrom RN at
(800) 442-6918 ext. 30 or email at
Wahlstrom@cdepot.net

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