Deanna Smith

Pharmacist, PharmD,CSP
Appealing for You Rx
Deanna

Deanna Smith

Pharmacist, PharmD,CSP
Appealing for You Rx
Advocate Location
Sanford , FL 32771
Specialty
Insurance & Billing
(321) 421-5943
TeleAdvocacy Available
Offers FREE Initial Consultation
Email Advocate
*Greater National Advocates Terms of Use Apply
How I Can Help
I help patients and their loved ones with rejections and denials for medical services and prescriptions get approved by letters of medical necessity, and letters of appeal. I also help them get reimbursed for out of pocket costs, and help them with receiving assistance with the cost of their medications. I help them navigate and understand how to communicate with their health insurance.
Important Information About Me
  • I offer a FREE Initial Consultation
  • I offer TeleAdvocacy Service
  • I am insured
  • My geographical area of practice is none
Why I Became A Professional Health Care Advocate
Over 17 years ago, I was faced with a huge medical bill after giving birth to my daughter. The bill stated that I would be responsible for about $20,000. I was worried, stressed, because I had no idea how I was going to pay this bill. I reached out to my health insurance, who explained to me that they only cover 2 days of hospital stay after having a vaginal birth, and I had stayed 3 days. I explained to them, that my blood pressure increased during labor, and was instructed to stay 3 days by my doctor due to the medication they gave me to lower my blood pressure. The representative said, just put that in a letter and sent to them. I did just that, and the overturned the cost and paid for the third day. Fast forward 15 years later I have the pleasure of writting letter of appeal and letters of medical necessity for a specialy pharmacy and doctors. I have come to realize that a lot of people may not know they can take next steps to have their medical denials overturned by providing additional required information to the health insurance. I want to help people with the frustration, stress that can come with being rejected for therapies and health care services that are medical necessary or needed for the patient. I have found that providing the health insruance with additional information can overturn a denial and explaining your personal situation can be an exception to the rule of the formulary and criteria. I have learned to draft these letters and guide others into taking these steps without putting a lot of time in them to lead to an approval. I have also found that some people are not aware of the additional resources to help cover their prescription medications, and help them seek out assistance for the costs.
Contact Advocate
Formal Education
Florda A&M University, Doctorate of Pharmacy, 2000
Additional Skills
I have worked in the field of specialty pharmacy for over 12 years. Specialty pharmacy medications almost always require a prior authorization. I have been writting letter of medical necessity, and letter of appeal for several different diagnosis and have learened how to communicate to the health insurance and provide the necessary information thay may lead for an approval. I have been a pharmacist for over 22 years and have worked with our reimbursement and billing team my last 7 years as a pharmacist to help with denied prior authorizations. I have successfully overturned hundreds of denials for many different diagnosis and medications. I have a passion for winning appeals when patients are in need of the denial. Denials cause delays in treatment. Patients sometimes suffer through missing work, and stress from not being able to receieve the medication that has worked well for them in the past. I also have a passion for helping getting reimbursed to put money back in the patient pocket. Healthcare costs can be stressful.