I came to AnnMarie at Patient Advocators at one of the hardest points in my life. I was struggling with a complex, undiagnosed condition and feeling completely lost in the healthcare system. She stepped in with both compassion and expertise. She helped me things such as connecting with the right specialists, preparing questions for doctors visits and exploring possible diagnoses and treatment options. I can't recommend AnnMarie enough to anyone who is struggling with medical care and is unsure of where to turn next. She is an amazing advocate and great ally in navigating the healthcare system. read more

Thanks to AnnMarie, I avoided knee surgery and my knee is fully recovered. Initially, she identified two orthopedic surgeons for me to visit; the first one locally for the initial diagnosis and the second one at Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC for a second opinion. Following these appointments, she encouraged me to evaluate stem cell therapy in lieu of surgery and she identified the leading doctor in NYC who performs the procedure. She participated in the visit with the second orthopedic surgeon and the physiatrist and in both cases provided invaluable help in the discussions with the doctors by asking questions that didn't occur to me. AnnMarie also introduced me to the latest electrical stimulation therapy which when combined with the stem cell therapy was a great success.  Thank you AnnMarie! read more

With our family's health insurance cards in-hand and the weight of the world lifted from our shoulders, we want to not only recommend AnnMarie McIlwain at Patient Advocators but help as many people find her as possible. Professional, caring, committed, and successful, AnnMarie navigates the 'shark-infested' waters of the health care industry to the benefit and well-being of her clients. Leaving no stone unturned and relentlessly saying yes in the face of no, she perseveres until positive solutions and results are achieved . Don't give up or be discouraged; just call AnnMarie Mcllwain! read more

At one of the darkest points in my life, AnnMarie entered the picture. I was at my wits end in dealing with my husband's medical situation. He'd had two strokes and we were trying to keep him at the acute rehabilitation hospital in which every doctor and therapist felt he should stay. We were in an appeals process and AnnMarie guided us with expert assistance. Her compassion, understanding, and even humor during this bleak time was a true miracle. I remember standing in a hospital hallway, clutching the phone and listening to her words of wisdom. Rarely have I ever felt this grateful and humbled by a stranger's true kindness. If I could award her more than five stars, I would. I'd give her the moon if I could. read more

What a godsend! My mother had a very bad fall and in an instant my family and I found ourselves needing more help than any of us could have imagined. Annmarie jumped in immediately and guided us on choice of doctors and specialists, current research on the pros/cons of different procedures we needed to consider, insights on hospital care and rehabilitation center choices, advice and expense tracking on how to best access my mother's Long Term Care insurance and submit for claims and reimbursements etc. And as if that wasn't enough she arranged for professionals to come and retrofit the house with wheelchair ramps, had a chairlift installed between floors, provided a list of recommended contractors so we could get a gut renovation of the bathroom to be more accessible and ADA compliant, and then organized for at-home care and health aids, visiting PT services, and even food services that ensured there would always be meals throughout the day. We were all blown away by what she and her team were able to do. Throughout this eight-month ordeal, Annmarie was always gracious, comforting, calm and incredibly informative with every call and email. Worth every penny!! She'll be our first call when/if there's another family incident. Thank you so much Annmarie. You and your team are amazing! read more

I am recently divorced and I find myself easily overwhelmed by the world of health insurance. I found Ms. McIlwain to be an invaluable resource. She not only helped me prepare for trial by researching the costs of various options which helped me secure appropriate alimony, but also greatly helped me navigate the daunting task of establishing my own health insurance post divorce. She was kind, patient, and extremely informed. I would highly recommend Patient Advocators. read more

AnnMarie McIlwain is truly an angel. There is absolutely no way my mother would be receiving the level of care she is, in the facility we wanted, had it not been for her. If I had not had AnnMarie on my side, my mother would be in a nursing home with no hope of regaining her independence. Instead she is in an Acute care inpatient rehabilitation facility receiving excellent physical therapy to regain her mobility and be able to live her best life! Thank you AnnMarie! read more

My mother and I had an absolutely horrible experience with the 'CEO' of Patient Advocators LLC, AnnMarie Quintaglie McIlwain. If I could give Ms. McIlwain and her company, Patient Advocators LLC, less than one star, I would. Our trouble began when I dared to question a charge on one of Ms. McIlwain's bills that my mother and I felt was not as previously agreed. It wasn't a lot of money. So, I anticipated that Ms. McIlwain would apologize for any confusion and offer to knock some small token amount off the bill; I would politely decline her offer, pay the bill, and we'd all continue on with lessons learned. Boy was I wrong! Instead of the above-described interaction, Ms. McIlwain acted like I hadn't paid a six-figure bill in several months! On top of that, Ms. McIlwain then tried to involve my employer by contacting them without my prior knowledge or permission, which I thought was an extremely slimy move. Ms. McIlwain also didn't appear to have any qualms about suing my mother, who was still undergoing cancer treatment (and had a compromised immune system), over a small amount of money in small claims court. I asked Ms. McIlwain to agree to postpone the trial date for my mother's sake. I reminded Ms. McIlwain that my mother's immune system was weak and it was dangerous for my mother to spend significant amounts of time in public spaces for fear of contracting the flu (it was a bad flu season). Ms. McIlwain flat out refused. In one of Ms. McIlwain's e-mails, she even included a snide remark, which gave me the strong impression that she was gloating. I was absolutely stunned by Ms. McIlwain's behavior. She seemed like a completely different person from the person that I initially interviewed as a candidate to work with my mother. I now regret not asking Ms. McIlwain how she handles billing disputes in that interview. Unfortunately, I had no choice but to settle with Ms. McIlwain because there was no way that I was going to fly all the way to New Jersey and miss work to attend a small claims court case over a small amount of money; not to mention that my mother was still not feeling well from the chemotherapy and radiation therapy. All in all, I would say that I was completely shocked by Ms. McIlwain's behavior and, of course, I would never in a million years hire her for anything! read more