Welcome to Care Medical Advocate. At CMA we work for the patient directly to build a relationship through professional methods, respect and confidence.
The health care system is complex, whether you are a patient or care for one. Before you deal with the complications, let CMA step in and assist you.
Are you over-whelmed by your medical bills?
CMA can help you make sense of your medical bills by showing you how to navigate the intricate and ever-expanding world of medical insurance. We examine previously paid bills, new claims and denials to give you new insight on each individual piece, as well as a better understanding of their combined effects.
No time to sit on hold with insurance companies or provider offices?
We are familiar with the medical language, and will be your liaison between medical providers and insurance companies. We will follow up until you get the answers you need on difficult medical questions and coverage and your insurance.
No time, and do not know where to start?
CMA will create an organized solution that will reduce the stress in your life due to medical bills. Do you have a busy career or a large family? Are you a senior, or families with elderly parents? Let CMA take over the anxiety, and give you peace of mind.
Stay informed. Discover the benefits of having a CMA
Services provided but not limited to:
Medical Booklet for your medical records
Medical Booklet for your medical records
CMA will create and maintain a database that lists your medical providers, contacts, prescriptions, and surgical history. Construct a custom journal to take to your appointments. This medical journal is a great way to keep you, your caregiver or family member informed and up to date.
Organize health insurance paperwork
Transform mounds of paperwork into easy to read documents. Dread opening your medical bills? CMA will organize your records.
Track your medical, dental, vision, prescription
CMA will document your "out of pocket" medical costs and record your payments. Eliminate the confusion of what bills were not paid. We will create a data base to help track costs.
Doctor and Surgical visit records
Recording the dates of your doctor visits and surgeries is a great tool to have when registering for appointments. Great for young and older family, to track immunizations, visits, procedures and surgeries.
Mileage driven to appointments
Track the mileage driven to your appointments. This is great information to have for tax records.
Liaison between insurance and medical provider to resolve questions
CMA will find the cost of treatments using the CPT and diagnosis codes provided by your doctor or hospital. CMA will contact your insurance for you and determine the out of pocket cost.
Challenge denial claims
Some bills may come months after your medical procedure. There is a "Timely Filing" rule on all insurance claims. This makes it imperative that claims are resolved on time. CMA will be your liaison between your provider and insurance.
Compare medical bill with insurance explanation of benefits ("EOB's")
CMA will make sure the medical bill was processed correctly with insurance before you pay. According to "Medical Billing Advocates of America", 8 out of 10 bills contain errors. CMA will make sure the amount is correct before you pay.
Audit provider charges to ensure they are accurately processed
Check to see if your claim has been filed with the correct information. A wrong Group number can pay at a low rate. CMA will look for "up charges", bundling codes, and out of network charges. The information the provider enters incorrectly will affect your out of pocket cost.
Contact insurance companies regarding questions errors and appeals
CMA understands the medical language and will get the answers to questions, saving you time on the phone. Get you the answers and start an appeal process for you.
Balance due? CMA will negotiate with providers on your balance due
Medical bills can threaten your financial security. CMA will negotiate with providers to set up an affordable payment plan.
Uninsured? CMA will arbitrate with providers for you
CMA will review your claim to see if another party is responsible. Negotiate with providers for a discount on your bill.
Recover your money on deposits
CMA will audit your medical deposit against your EOB and retrieve money due back to you. If a medical practice outsources its billing, this can be challenging to track your money trail.
Appointments
Paperwork involved with a new doctor visit can be quite lengthy. Let CMA preregister for your appointments. We will get you registered for your appointments with your doctor, MRI, Tests and Labs.
CMA will create an organized solution that will reduce the stress in your life due to medical bills. Busy career, large family, senior, or families with elderly parents, let CMA take over the anxiety, and give you peace of mind.
Inspiration
Trudy Brinkmann
Founder of Care Medical Advocate.
Working in the business world I have a wide-range of experience, successfully managing large accounts, and projects. Additionally, for 10 years I have worked closely with doctors and insurance companies in various positions to insure accurate accounts of the patient financial and health records. And I hold a Certificate in Bookkeeping and Accounting.
The inspiration to start Care Medical Advocate came while working in the financial departments of medical offices. I met many individuals in our community who are challenged by their medical bills and insurance billing. By auditing medical and insurance bills, I can identify over-payments of medical billing, finding other insurance liable for patient injury and act as your liaison on denied claims. My goal for CMA is saving you time and money.
CMA has your best interest at heart and works solely on your behalf. CMA wants to make sure you have the information you need to make informed decisions with a clear picture of your health care costs. We respect your medical and financial privacy, and do not disclose it without proper authority.
CMA conducts our businesses in an ethical manner and in accordance with established industry standards, thus creating an environment of trust.
Success Stories
John H., McHenry
A medical doctor's office had requested the patient place a $900.00 deposit on an upcoming surgery. The office explained to the patient, that after they checked their benefits with the insurance company, this was the patient's financial responsibility. Also the hospital has contacted the patient and said that after checking with their insurance benefits, based on their unmet deductible and procedure codes, the patient had to place a $1200.00 deposit on the surgery. Typically, the hospital's claim go through first, absorbing the patient's deductible, and leaving the doctor's claim with no patient responsible. After careful audit of the account, I contacted the doctor's office and had a refund check of $900.00 returned to the patient for their deposit.
George W., Arlington Hts
Patient was receiving a number of physical therapy sessions. The insurance did not pay for five visits, stating the patient went over the allotted amount of physical therapy sessions. The patient was responsible for $850.00 non-covered therapy sessions by the insurance. Working with the physical therapy department, it was determined that one of the appointments was for an initial evaluation, which did not count towards therapy, and the second was a "no show" which also did not count towards a therapy visit. Working with the Physical Therapist, I was able to have the therapist write a letter of medical necessity, stating further therapy was necessary for the patient's recovery. The letter of medical necessity was submitted to the insurance for the three additional visits. The two visits were taken off, and the other three were paid because of the therapist's letter. This saved the patient $850.00 in out of pocket non-covered costs.
Meg B., Elburn
A mother and son, who had no insurance, came to see the doctor for an injury the son sustained. They owed the doctor over a $3,000.00 balance due to a medical procedures and office visits. The patient could not pay, due to financial hardship and this balance was becoming a collection issue. Working with mother it was discovered that the sons' injury happened at a school function. I contacted the school and the school insurance regarding the injury. I discovered that the school insurance would cover the cost of the medical expense. I had them fax me a school injury report, and school health insurance form. Working with the patient, I had all the information back to the school insurance in time to be processed for full payment. The patient was grateful that not only did she save $3,000.00 but I was also able to give her advice on low cost insurance.
Contact
Contact CMA for a free Consultation.
Contact CMA for prices, products and package deals.
Use the CMA Pocket Medical Help and Medical Record Booklets to organize your information.
Medical Record Booklet
Pocket Medical Help
Medical Record Booklet
Pocket Medical Help
Did You Know...?
Top Ten Ways For YOU To Avoid Problems With Your Medical Claims
- Know your insurance policy.
- Use participating providers.
- Review your EOB's.
- Make sure your payments are noted.
- Do not assume your bill is correct.
- Don't pay anything up front.
- Stay in contact with providers with your billing process.
- Keep meticulous records.
- Do not ignore medical letters.
- Request a "super bill".
Vitamins
Beware of products labeled for older people. Look at the ingredients in Vitamins and other health goods pitched for people over 50. Often they are only slightly different from regular products, but with a bigger price. Read those labels, folks.
Check your Drugs
Take a list of all your medications and ask your doctor if you need them all. Many people are overprescribed, especially if they see several doctors for different medical issues. Having your meds reviewed periodically is also good for your health.
Need Surgery?
Research cost cutting alternatives to hospitals, such as outpatient facilities. The fees for a doctor and anesthesiologist may be similar, but typically, outpatient centers charge a fraction of the fee that hospitals charge.
Website Privacy, Terms & Conditions Statement
Privacy, Terms & Conditions for caremedicaladvocate.com
We understand that health concerns are private and personal, and we will never knowingly violate your right to use the information you find on this site.
The documents and information contained within the caremedicaladvocate.com website is offered for informational purposes only. No information contained herein is a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should it be inferred as such.
ALWAYS check with your doctor if you have any health questions. The contributors to this website are not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for ANY form of damages whatsoever resulting from information contained herein.
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CMA is committed to respecting the privacy and security of our users. Our goal is to provide you with the information, resources, and services that are most relevant and helpful to you.
CMA is committed to respecting the privacy and security of our users. Our goal is to provide you with the information, resources, and services that are most relevant and helpful to you. To demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, we have prepared this statement disclosing our privacy practices. Here you will learn what personal identifying information of yours is collected, how and when we might use your information, how we protect your information, who has access to your information, and how you can correct any inaccuracies in the information.
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Who Has Access to the Information?
In compliance with U.S. law, we do not share information with any unaffiliated third parties for marketing purposes.
Links to Other Companies' Sites
Our websites contain links to sites maintained by companies that are not affiliated with CMA. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of those sites, and we encourage you to use caution when visiting them. In particular, we recommend you view the privacy policy posted on each site.
Privacy Policy Changes
If our information practices change in a significant way, we will post and highlight the policy changes.
Questions?
Please send an e-mail message to caremedi@att.net