Stepping Stone Healthcare Advocacy Services
If you or your loved one is feeling overwhelmed by a medical diagnosis, hospital stay, chronic condition, or complex treatment plan, a Healthcare Advocate can help you take back control.
At Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, we offer independent patient advocacy and nurse-led healthcare navigation to individuals and families across the U.S. Our professional advocates—Registered Nurses, certified case managers and insurance advocates—are here to help you make sense of the system, communicate with providers, and get the support you deserve.
We specialize in supporting adults and seniors—especially those facing aging-related challenges, serious illnesses, or special healthcare needs.
Unlike hospital or insurance-based advocates, we work exclusively for you—not for a healthcare system or provider. That means our only priority is your health, your voice, and your peace of mind.
We help clients locally and nationwide, and specialize in virtual consultations, long-distance advocacy, and healthcare support during times of crisis or transition.
Take the first step toward clarity, support, and personalized care. Speak with a Registered Nurse Advocate today to learn how we can help you or your loved one.
Your Advocate. Your Voice. Your Peace of Mind.
Healthcare today can be overwhelming—even for those who understand it best. Between hospital stays, specialists, insurance denials, and confusing bills, most families find themselves frustrated and exhausted.
At Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, we believe you deserve more than a fragmented system. You deserve a team that understands the medical, administrative, and financial sides of care—and who works for you, not the system.
That’s why every client we serve is enrolled in our signature Gold Service Program—a comprehensive, nurse-led advocacy model designed to protect your health, your rights, and your peace of mind.
Most patient advocacy companies operate on a concierge model. This allows advocates to step in quickly—but it doesn’t eliminate the systemic barriers caused by insurance denials, communication breakdowns, or billing errors.
Families often assume that once they “have an advocate,” those issues are automatically resolved. In reality, insurance and billing challenges require specialized expertise, fast action, and collaboration between multiple professionals.
Without that team-based approach, families can remain caught in a cycle of crisis, confusion, and unexpected costs.
A True Team Approach to Healthcare Navigation
At Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, we’ve reimagined the traditional advocacy model to provide complete support—clinical, administrative, and financial.
We call it our Gold Service Program because it represents the gold standard of patient advocacy: a coordinated, dual-advocate system that supports every layer of your healthcare journey.
Free Introductory Call
Every client begins with a compassionate, no-cost consultation. We listen, assess your needs, and create a personalized plan for advocacy and navigation.
Dual Advocate Support
Each case includes both a Nurse Patient Advocate and an Insurance/Billing Advocate—even if you think you won’t need one. This ensures that every aspect of your care is protected from day one.
Rapid, Coordinated Response
When insurance or billing issues arise, your advocates work together immediately to prevent gaps in care, denials, or unnecessary costs.
Your Nurse Advocate is your guide through the medical maze—helping you:
Understand diagnoses, medications, and treatment plans
Communicate effectively with doctors, hospitals, and rehab facilities
Coordinate transitions and follow-up care
Ensure your preferences and safety are respected in every setting
Your Insurance & Billing Advocate safeguards the financial side of your care. They can:
Review bills and claims for errors or duplicate charges
Challenge unjust denials and files appeals on your behalf
Fight for your right to remain in a facility if you’re being discharged too soon and don’t feel medically ready
Coordinate directly with providers and insurers to ensure fair outcomes
Together, your two advocates work in sync to keep your care coordinated, transparent, and equitable.
We are a concierge service—but that doesn’t mean we ignore cost.
We believe in being good stewards of our clients’ financial and emotional resources.
By pairing nurse advocates with insurance and billing advocates, we prevent costly errors, reduce denial delays, and protect families from the financial pitfalls that often accompany medical crises.
Our mission isn’t just to navigate the healthcare system—it’s to reshape the experience for patients and families so they can focus on healing, not paperwork.
Navigating today’s healthcare system requires more than good intentions—it requires a team that understands every layer of care: medical, insurance, and financial.
At Stepping Stone Advocacy Services, we stand beside you through every stage of that journey—ensuring that care is coordinated, communication is clear, and financial surprises are minimized.
Because when advocacy becomes collaborative, patients heal better, families stress less, and outcomes improve.
The person is often a nurse, social worker, geriatric care manager, or other health care professional who can help you navigate the health care system, including dealing with clinicians, understanding your condition and treatment options, and even helping with health insurance issues.
Hiring a professional advocate could be a good option if you don’t have a spouse, relative, friend or caregiver that you trust. Older adults are especially likely to benefit from having another person with them during medical visits. As you age, you may have more health issues to discuss. Having two people hear the discussion and making sure they understand is much better than one set of ears, since it can be difficult for one person to remember everything that is discussed.
An advocate is not just for doctor visits or hospital stays. A patient can discuss new health issues with the advocate. For instance, an advocate can offer perspective on whether or not a treatment is working. When there are two people on the same page of an issue, the patient doesn’t have to agonize about making all the decisions alone. This is particularly important for seniors and those who may live alone. An advocate can also help doctors educate you about
your condition so you can manage it better.
For family members who live far from the patient and are managing their care long distance, an advocate can coordinate care and communicate with everyone involved in the patient’s care.
For patients living alone, another set of eyes and ears at appointments ensures understandingand compliance.
It varies based on several factors: location of service area, one-time fee for limited services versus ongoing hourly rate for services. Costs associated with hourly rate are dependent on how much service and support are required and for how long.
The Desire to Help Patients and their Families
This is the most important patient advocate requirement. Advocates must possess a natural sense of caring for people and empathy for what patients experience throughout their health challenges. Wanting to help and be of service is the driving force that propels patient advocates to delve into each case they take on, making them extremely resourceful and willing to go the extra mile on behalf of a patient’s best interests.
Effective Communication Skills
Patient Advocates must communicate with a wide spectrum of people, from the patients and their families, to doctors, nurses and health insurance companies. They must serve as mediators, or liaisons, between the patient and those responsible for the medical, legal and financial aspects of the patient’s care.
Advocates must also be able to communicate well with other administrators involved in the health care industry. They must be able to listen effectively to patients and to present the concerns of the patient to others in such a way that causes others to work in favor of the patient, fearlessly asking questions to get information.
Strong Organizational Skills
Keeping track of a patient’s concerns means the patient advocate needs to stay on top of details, keeping records of detailed notes about each case and notating follow-up calls with the patient and others involved. Patient advocate requirements also include time management skills to ensure that every patient’s case is well coordinated.
Good Problem-Solving Skills
A patient advocate is likely to be faced with problems constantly – as problems are what patients need help with. The patient advocate must not be afraid to tackle these challenges, and be willing and able to find solutions through mediation and negotiation. This might require some degree of creativity. Part of problem-solving involves having research skills, because patient advocates – much like investigative reporters – must dig up information that can help patients know their rights.
Lori Jumped Right In!
My husband underwent nasal surgery 6 months ago, after he had a negative sleep study test and was referred to an ENT doctor due to continued fatigue and snoring.
Unfortunately, he developed two different serious infections, and we were concerned about his ongoing treatment with the ENT. In fact, we were very anxious because he wasn’t getting better but the surgeon was not clear with us as to what to do next…
Clients
Highly Recommended
If you are in need of a patient advocate, I would highly recommend Lori Schellenberg.
She is extremely knowledgeable, effective, and professional. Knows when to be strong and forceful yet loving and caring with your loved one and your family.
I was concerned about an elderly family member who had several severe falls, was forgetting to take medication, not eating healthy and not keeping up with…
Client
Extremely Talented!
What a great use of Lori’s talents!
I worked with Lori for several years during my career as an orthopedic surgeon. I know her to be not only compassionate and understanding but also a tireless advocate for what is right.
In difficult situations she was unwavering in her quest to enable me to provide the best possible care for my patients. She knows the system and how to work through it (and around it whenever necessary!
Orthopedic Surgeon
Lori has been there to help the family with a long very difficult journey with my brother. She has been by our side to help us deal with our 15 month medical journey with my brother Joe. Our healthcare system is broken…
When my elderly father fell, and was put in the hospital, and then rehab, it became obvious to me that I needed to step in and help my mother. Them being in Florida and me up in Chicago, I became very overwhelmed with …
If you’re reading this review, you already are a step ahead – you understand the value of a patient advocate in today’s complex and often overwhelming healthcare system. If you’re like I was, I knew I needed help. My dad…
Lori continues to support my husband Steve, on his healthcare journey. She recommended a second opinion when he did not respond to the recommended treatment. She offers to attend appointments virtually when needed.
After multiple weeks with Laurie we were more than pleased. You’re guidance is much appreciated
My brother spent three days in the hospital, followed by rehabilitation for occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. Sometimes, obtaining answers from the hospital and rehabilitation staff was challenging. We were eager to find out what options were available after rehabilitation. We learned from a friend about Lori delivering a speech emphasizing the need for an advocate. We reached out to her for further details. Lori took the time to listen to our concerns and provided expert advice. What impress me the most was the transparency and honesty displayed throughout the process. It was important to me to take an active interest in the process, and Lori was excellent in bringing us together as a team. Her assistance throughout the process was excellent, and I was very satisfied.
I could not have served my husband during and through his last days here on earth without the support, guidance, encouragement, advice…etc. you name it and they walked me through it and were never more than a text or phone call away. Both my husband and I were amazed, thankful, and appreciative of everything they did for us…seemingly without effort or complaint. I cannot say enough about the people, the services, and the love they provided. Heavenly Father knew I couldn’t do this by myself and He answered every prayer through them. Thank you Lori and Kalli and Stepping Stones. I am forever indebted to you.
I cannot say enough about the support and compassion shown by Lori and Kalli at Stepping Stones. I hate that anyone would ever need an advocate for healthcare, but it is, unfortunately, the reality. It definitely was a huge comfort knowing someone was looking out for my Daddy and my Mom and educating and advocating for them when our current healthcare system failed them over and over and over. They made sure to educate the whole family which allowed my Daddy to make the best informed decisions for himself, then they advocated and supported him to make sure his decisions were heard and honored. I am forever grateful to both of them for the peace they have given to our family in knowing my parents were listened to and their decisions honored in the most loving and compassionate way possible. I would not hesitate to refer Stepping Stones Advocacy to anyone who feels like the healthcare system is failing them or their loved ones.
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If you are in need of a patient advocate, I would highly recommend Lori Schellenberg. She is extremely knowledgeable, effective, and professional. Knows when to be strong and forceful yet loving and caring with your loved one and your family. I was concerned about an elderly family member who had several severe falls, was forgetting to take medication, not eating healthy and not keeping up with housekeeping yet insistent she was fine and staying in her home. Even though Lori lived out of state she made phone calls on our behalf, made several recommendations to help us provide what our loved one needed and was an intermediary when it was necessary. Lori’s knowledge of geriatrics, continuous care/assisted living facilities, the health care system, long term care insurance and hospice is invaluable. She helped us put together a plan that provided the best and continuous care necessary for our loved one and our family. We are extremely thankful for her help and look forward to continuing to work with her as our loved one moves through the next phases of her life’s journey, thus enabling us to create loving memories.
