Sydney helps members navigate surprise out-of-network medical bills

If you're going to be here, you might as well make the world a better place in whatever way you can.

Well, hi there, Doug. You called in to UHC earlier about an out-of-network bill of yours. Is now a good time to talk?

I am a patient advisor, and what I do is assist people when they have surprise medical bills—basically reduce them, make them go away sometimes. If I need any additional information, I'll follow up with you, but otherwise, I will send this off to a negotiator.

My dream? I want to be a writer, obviously. That is the top dream—to be published, have a book series. I like writing fantasy and speculative fiction, primarily. But everyone has to have a day job while you’re working the artist hustle, and being in the health care industry, I feel like I'm in the right place.

I handle anywhere from eight to twelve cases a day. Every single call I make, that person is my focus for that call. I want everybody to feel like they are the only case I have, the only person I'm working with, that they have my full attention—so that they know they're not alone, that someone is there to assist them, and that person is me.

When I call someone and say, “Yep, we got it all settled, your bill's been resolved, you shouldn't get anything else,” I often hear, “Are you serious? Oh my god, like what? Is it that easy?” I've had a couple of people cry on the phone with me. It's only a couple of instances, but there's really nothing like it—that sense of relief and thankfulness that comes through from people.

I'm just called to serve, and I want to help other people. It's like Mr. Rogers says, “Look for the helpers.” I want to be a helper.

I absolutely believe I deliver on what UHC promises. Someone needs to be there for you. That's what really matters.