Getting Started

Getting started.

Hello, my name is Diana Valentine and I am owner and founder of Critical Care Financial Consulting.

I take a holistic approach to managing your finances, the face of a critical or chronic illness, understanding that your needs are vastly different from those not experiencing the same issues.

This has become my mission to provide a service to help you manage your health care bills, family budgets, and all things financial so that you can feel like you are in control and most importantly, so you can concentrate on your health.

Let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I have served as board chair of Kentucky Indiana chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society from 2015 to 2017.

I'm a 20 plus year financial advisor, and I have nine plus years as a project manager in health care services and investment industries.

I received a B.A. in political science from Cleveland State University.

I also received my Certificate of Oncology Financial Patient Advocacy from George Washington University.

These videos are for general information only. If you have legal or tax questions, please consult an attorney or CPA.

I became intimately interested in financial planning for the critically and chronically ill after my husband was diagnosed with MGUS in 2002 and myeloma in 2005, and then as his caregiver until his death in 2013.

I walked many halls at night and met too many family members who were overwhelmed with medical bills and concerned about their ability to continue to house their families and put food on the table because of an ill spouse or child.

Frequently, the spouse had stopped working to be the caregiver. Losing that income as a result and using savings in order to stay afloat.

My husband and I were very fortunate in a lot of regards financially, as well as having the knowledge to handle our finances in a way that he never had to worry about his treatment.

Unfortunately, this is not the case with most people.

I decided this was my calling one night after meeting a woman in the dining hall at about 2:00 in the morning, after remembering seeing her in our unit.

She was crying because her 16-year-old son had just had a bone marrow transplant eight days prior and was not expected to live.

She was concerned about her other young children because her home was being foreclosed on, even though her husband was working, working two full-time jobs, trying to keep up with the medical bills.

It was at that moment that I knew I had to find a way to bring information and access to resources to people.

I was blessed to be introduced with myeloma patients who lived near me, and who then introduced me to Jenny Ahlstrom, the founder of the myeloma crowd.

She graciously invited me to share with you the series on financial topics that I hope will be of use to you.

I also would appreciate the opportunity and consider it an honor to be of service to you and your family on this complicated journey.

As a former caregiver to my husband who had multiple myeloma and as a financial advisor, I feel it is very important to share information that will be invaluable to you as you go through your journey.

Here, I'm going to briefly go over the topics I will be covering in the following videos.

I will be keeping them brief.

If there are any specific questions anyone may have on any of the topics, I will be available for you to email me and set up a time that I can personally talk to you to answer any of your questions.

In this course, we're going to talk about things you can do to prepare yourself financially for the treatment journey you need to prepare, prepare, prepare.

The more you know ahead of time, the better off you're going to be.

I think the first thing is to find an advocate. If you haven't already, find someone who can attend as many doctor's appointments with you as possible, like a family member or a friend.

They can take notes and keep up with your treatment plan with you. They can hear things you may not catch. They can assist you with informing your doctor of any changes you may be experiencing, and they can help you keep your calendar updated.

Work with your doctor to get as much information about your treatment plan as possible.

Some of these things may include medications, lab and other associated treatments, and the cost of each of these.

Whether you'll be doing stem cell transplants, additional infusion treatments, or even travel.

You'll want to know ahead of time the cost of your care.

The next important thing is prepare a budget.

This will allow you to be prepared to take care of your normal living expenses, as well as anticipate no expenses you will be incurring.

Don't wait until it's too late when bills are rolling in to start planning.

Know what current expenses are and start prioritizing.

Get in touch with your health care provider to get copies of their summary plan benefits.

This will tell you what they will pay for and at what level.

Make sure your doctor and hospital are in your insurance plan.

Keep up with all your medical bills.

Make sure you get itemized copies and check for errors.

Approximately 99% of all medical bills have errors.

Keep records of the names, dates, conversations, and times of everyone you talked to with your insurance carrier regarding your bills.

What are the areas we are going to review as your employer benefits for sick time?

FMLA employer benefits?

In the event you need to take time off, return to work, etc., consider the possibility of loss of income or the loss of income from a spouse or family member or caregiver.

How do you plan for this possibility?

If you're going to continue to work, consider options you may have with your employer.

What six days do you have can reduce your work hours?

Do you have flexibility in your work hours to allow you to keep your doctor's visits?

If you're too ill to travel, does your employer offer work from home?

Do you know your rights under FMLA as well as ADA?

And are there any out-of-box benefits that your fellow employees may offer, such as donated holiday or sick time?

One of the big areas we're going to cover is understanding the terms of the cost of cancer, like direct medical cost, out-of-pocket non-medical costs, daily living expenses.

Premiums, co-pays. Summary of benefits.

Deductibles. Coinsurance.

Out-of-pocket maximums.

And then another area people forget about is can you change your plan during your illness to get the best coverage for you, and under what circumstances?

Cancer treatment is a difficult and trying process.

It will require an immense time commitment, not just for the actual care, but for all things outside of direct care to make sure you stay on your treatment plan, like managing medical bills.

We'll cover how to do this.

If you're having to find yourself taking extended time from work above and beyond FMLA.

Know what your disability plan is at work, short term and or long term.

Who is your oncology care team?

It is crucial to understand who they are as soon as possible after diagnosis.

This will allow you to know whom to contact with questions or needs you may have.

I will be breaking the rolls down to you.

Please remember that not all treatment facilities or hospitals have the same professionals available.

If you need assistance for non-clinical questions or help, such as financial questions related to financial assistance.

I would be glad to help you.

There are resources available to you to help pay for medications if you have commercial insurance and government medicare insurance.

Depending on the resource, there may be income qualifications.

Sometimes these resources are a one time benefit or they may be given to you yearly.

If yearly application accepted and funds are available.

Be aware that the funds are also available on a first come, first serve basis.

The earlier you apply for assistance, the better chance you have of getting help.

These resources may be available from non-profits and private or community sources.

Additional resources may also be available for travel costs, treatment and consultations, copays, medications, childcare costs, and utility bills.

Remember, you are not alone.

Although cancer can be a lonely and isolating experience, there are resources available to you to help you navigate the twists and turns you will face.

Do not wait until you are in a desperate financial hardship before seeking help from your peers to the hospital, to your employer.

Resources are available.

Thank you for joining me and letting me be a part of your myeloma journey.

As you watch these videos, if you have any questions about how to organize your medical bills, start a budget, review your current assets or insurances, or get access to financial resources, please contact me

Dianna Valentine at Critical Care Financial Consulting.

My email address is criticalcarefc@gmail.com