When Rebecca’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, she thought the hardest part would be treatment. Instead, she found herself wading through endless medical bills, unreachable helplines, and insurance decisions that made no sense.
“You can’t get anybody on the telephone. You can’t get an answer,” she said. “And yet, we had what would be considered good insurance.”
Rebecca had a unique background — one that straddled big law, employee benefits, and advocacy. She hadn’t planned to use it this way, but the reality of her mother’s experience changed that. She started volunteering at a community breast health center and quickly realized how few patients had access to the kind of information she took for granted.
What followed was a 26-year journey helping patients navigate the healthcare system — especially the invisible terrain that connects insurance, employment, and survivorship.
Rebecca joined The Patient From Hell to talk about what she’s learned. Her insights are grounded in years of hands-on work and shaped by the hard truth that cancer patients in America don’t just need doctors — they need advocates who can decode the system.
One of the first things she tells patients? Build a team.
"The minute you have a diagnosis, draft a team for yourself," she said. “Think of it like running a startup. You need your HR rep, your insurer, your doctor’s office, your support system. You are the CEO of this journey.”
For anyone Googling “what to do after a cancer diagnosis,” that advice is a lifeline. Because the truth is, medical care is only one piece of the puzzle. Employment status, insurance coverage, and legal protections can have just as much impact on a patient's experience — and many people don’t realize how tightly intertwined those systems are.
Rebecca explained how it’s not just about knowing your benefits — it’s about knowing how to talk about them.
“You have to say the right words to the right stakeholder,” she said. “That means knowing the language of your employer, your insurer, your doctor. Because if you can communicate clearly — using the right terms — you can move the needle.”
In one story, she helped a patient named Karen regain access to a doctor after her Medicare coverage changed. Karen was told she couldn’t return to her previous medical team. But with some persistence and the right language — especially the term “continuity of care” — they advocated together. Within two weeks, Karen was back under the care of her original oncologist.
It was a powerful reminder that even in a system that says “no,” there’s room to fight for a “yes.”
Rebecca has also helped countless women advocate for themselves at work. That’s where questions like “Can I take a leave of absence during cancer treatment?” or “What are my rights under FMLA?” come into play.
She broke it down simply:
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FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act): up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave
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Short-term disability insurance: typically covers income for up to 26 weeks
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Long-term disability: available through some employers or via Social Security
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COBRA: allows you to keep your work health insurance after leaving a job, but can be expensive
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Reasonable accommodation: a legal term that can be a game-changer when asking for flexibility
“Just using the phrase ‘active treatment’ can change the tone of the conversation with HR,” she said. “They’ll say it’s a hardship, but you can anticipate that. You counter with a plan — who can cover your work, when you’ll return, that sort of thing.”
She’s learned that most patients don’t see how interconnected these systems are. But they are. Deeply.
“It’s hard to feel like your employer is part of your medical care, but in America, they are,” she said. “Your job can determine your insurance, which determines your doctors, which determines your treatment.”
And yet, for many people, the first instinct is to avoid making waves. Especially women.
“Your benefits are yours,” Rebecca emphasized. “You’ve earned them. There is zero shame in using them.”
That’s why she wrote a book — because she wanted something that didn’t exist. Not another guide by a celebrity or doctor, but a real resource with stories, legal savvy, and practical advice.
It’s a book for anyone who's ever asked Google: Why is my cancer treatment not covered by insurance?, How do I navigate COBRA?, Can I keep my doctor after switching plans?
Rebecca believes the answers are there — but they’re buried in paperwork, jargon, and fear.
She’s seen patients go into debt over surprise denials for treatments that should be standard. She’s seen people stuck in “limbo” when provider contracts change mid-treatment. And she’s watched patients lose access to care because they didn’t realize their new insurance wasn’t accepted by their doctor.
“The greed has ossified,” she said bluntly. “And the system dares you to push back.”
Still, she’s hopeful. There are resources, and there are ways forward. But patients can’t do it alone.
“No woman needs to go on a health journey alone,” she said. “We have more than we think we do. Even inside a system that clearly wasn’t built for us.”
That’s the heartbeat of her work — helping patients become the kind of informed, empowered people the system doesn’t expect. The kind of people who don’t take no for an answer. The kind of people who know the right words — and when to say them.
Because that’s what it means to be a patient from hell.
