Day #17 Wow! I just spent time with an amazing woman. Victoria Caras is a woman who is my hero. She fights for people who have medical bills they can not decipher, and the insurance companies are not paying. Victoria fights for the "little guy" in a world overrun with papers and sub-headings and part A and Part B and loopholes. Ms. Caras fights for those of us who are intimidated when we see the return address on an envelope stating it is from a hospital or an insurance agency. Victoria is my hero.
Victoria is the reason I have not written in several days. I met Victoria in Aspen, Colorado last year. My good friend and partner in What One Man Can Do, Donna Lipman, was in Aspen receiving the John Denver Spirit award in her husband's name. My husband and I were there to support Donna. Her husband, Terry Lipman, had been a dear friend who had died suddenly in 2009, and we we also wanted to honor his accomplishment. It was a great weekend and I met several people who are making a difference in the world.
One of them was Victoria Caras. We quickly connected and have spent time emailing, phoning and I spent a day with her in Denver after a seminar and she came to Chicago this weekend to spend time here.
Victoria Caras has lived in New York and San Francisco. She graduated from Columbia with a law degree and has always been involved in helping those less fortunate. As I spoke with her to get a sense of when she felt called to give back, to contribute, she was very matter of fact. (Victoria is a very matter of fact type of woman.) "It is the right thing to do. You give back; it is what you are to do." This was her answer when I asked what has propelled her all these years. As a freshman in high school, Victoria organized a group of teens that helped younger children. It was called T.A.S.K. - Teen Agers Serving Kids. When I asked her why she did this, she shrugged her shoulders and said,"It's what you do." No, it is not what one does, at least not always.
There was a reason that Victoria began Aspen Medical Billing Advocates. Within a very short amount of time, Victoria Caras' world came crashing down. Her ex canceled her insurance, she discovered she had cancer, and she had a major skiing accident. The bills were astronomical. One thing you notice about Victoria within the first five minutes of meeting her is her resolve. She made the decision to not allow these major setbacks to stop her. She made calls, she wrote letters, she did Google search after Google search to find less expensive alternatives that would be effective. She researched prescription drugs and the various costs. She triumphed.
She not only healed, but her path became crystallized. If she could do this for herself, she could do this for others. Victoria Caras is not intimidated when she sees the return address on the envelope is from a hospital or insurance agency.
She is saving lives. One of her clients, after developing cancer, wanted the very best treatment and a particular hospital was chosen. Unfortunately, this particular hospital (the very best for his type of cancer) did not take his insurance. Enter Ms. Caras. She negotiated a very win/win solution and the man is alive today and his hospital bill is paid. Aspen Medical Billing Advocates are truly advocates. Victoria Caras is truly a woman who makes a difference.
Action she took: Victoria sees giving as what everyone is to do. She does not see it as heroic or amazing or dramatic. She sees it as an "Of course!"
You can reach my hero at Info@AspenBillingAdvocates.com
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