Sara Buono
Registered Nurse
Sara Buono
Registered Nurse
Advocate Location
New York , NY 10312
Specialty
Medical Guidance
Other Services
Survivor Support
TeleAdvocacy Available
Offers FREE Initial Consultation
*Greater National Advocates Terms of Use Apply
How I Can Help
Here’s how I can help:
• Find Resources & Support Services: Whether you’re managing a new diagnosis or ongoing condition, I help connect you with local, state, or national resources that can make daily life easier.
• Medical Bills & Insurance: I can help review medical bills, explain coverage, and assist with appeals or applications for financial assistance programs.
• Treatment Options & Providers: I research and identify treatment options and providers that match your medical needs, location, insurance, and preferences — saving you time and energy.
• Virtual Appointment Support: I can attend medical appointments with you virtually (via phone or video) to take notes, ask questions, and ensure your concerns are heard.
• Durable Medical Equipment (DME): I assist in obtaining medically necessary items like grab bars, shower chairs, walkers, or scooters — and help with any paperwork involved.
• Medicaid Enrollment & Paperwork: If you’re eligible for Medicaid, I can guide you through the enrollment process and complete forms on your behalf, making the process smoother and faster.
• Home Care Services: I assist in arranging home care if it’s medically necessary, and if not covered, I help brainstorm creative, practical solutions to keep you safe and supported at home.
My goal is to simplify the process, empower you with information, and ensure you feel supported every step of the way.
• Find Resources & Support Services: Whether you’re managing a new diagnosis or ongoing condition, I help connect you with local, state, or national resources that can make daily life easier.
• Medical Bills & Insurance: I can help review medical bills, explain coverage, and assist with appeals or applications for financial assistance programs.
• Treatment Options & Providers: I research and identify treatment options and providers that match your medical needs, location, insurance, and preferences — saving you time and energy.
• Virtual Appointment Support: I can attend medical appointments with you virtually (via phone or video) to take notes, ask questions, and ensure your concerns are heard.
• Durable Medical Equipment (DME): I assist in obtaining medically necessary items like grab bars, shower chairs, walkers, or scooters — and help with any paperwork involved.
• Medicaid Enrollment & Paperwork: If you’re eligible for Medicaid, I can guide you through the enrollment process and complete forms on your behalf, making the process smoother and faster.
• Home Care Services: I assist in arranging home care if it’s medically necessary, and if not covered, I help brainstorm creative, practical solutions to keep you safe and supported at home.
My goal is to simplify the process, empower you with information, and ensure you feel supported every step of the way.
Important Information About Me
- I offer a FREE Initial Consultation
- I offer TeleAdvocacy Service
- My geographical area of practice is New York and virtually all over the U.S.
My Survivor Support Advocacy Qualifications
I am a survivor of Navigating the world of CHARGE Syndrome. A rare genetic syndrome affecting multiple parts of the body causing a range of birth defects
I was already an RN thrown into a world of diagnosis after diagnosis, trying to wrap my head around my son just being born with a life threatening condition, being transferred to a children’s hospital 60 miles from home. Trying to navigate Medicaid waiver programs, trying to obtain early intervention, outside feeding therapy, long term care facilities, becoming part of CHARGE syndrome foundation, mounds of paperwork, dealing with doctors, Social Workers and Nurses while still in the hospital for the first 8 months of my sons life. All at the same time. Fast forward to getting my son services, private duty nursing, 1:1 para in the early years of school. Now fighting for adult resources when he turns 18.
Why I Became A Professional Health Care Advocate
My journey as an advocate began minutes after becoming a first time mom.
Minutes after giving birth to my son, I was thrust into the world of complex medical needs and rare genetic syndromes — a world I hadn’t prepared for, despite being a nurse. I quickly realized that while doctors are trained in medical knowledge, they don’t always have the full picture — especially when it comes to rare conditions. I followed their guidance when it felt right, but often found myself researching diagnoses on my own, determined to make the best possible decisions for my son.
While still in the hospital as a brand-new mom, I was overwhelmed by medical terminology, mounting paperwork, and an entirely new language of care: Medicaid, waiver programs, early intervention, insurance denials, and long-term care options. All of this came as a complete shock — none of it was on my radar during pregnancy.
Doctors told me my son wouldn’t live past the age of three. They recommended long-term care placement. But once his major surgeries were complete — including open-heart surgery — I chose to take his care into my own hands. I advocated fiercely for everything he needed: from feeding therapy to private duty nursing to specialized services. Today, my son is 17 years old. He is not only surviving — he is thriving.
While I know my advocacy made a difference, the truth is: he is where he is today because he is a fighter. And because of him, I became one too.
To this day, I continue to fight for his care — and that’s why this work is so close to my heart. I understand what it means to face a broken, complicated system while trying to protect someone you love. And I will bring that same passion, commitment, and determination to advocate for you and your family
Minutes after giving birth to my son, I was thrust into the world of complex medical needs and rare genetic syndromes — a world I hadn’t prepared for, despite being a nurse. I quickly realized that while doctors are trained in medical knowledge, they don’t always have the full picture — especially when it comes to rare conditions. I followed their guidance when it felt right, but often found myself researching diagnoses on my own, determined to make the best possible decisions for my son.
While still in the hospital as a brand-new mom, I was overwhelmed by medical terminology, mounting paperwork, and an entirely new language of care: Medicaid, waiver programs, early intervention, insurance denials, and long-term care options. All of this came as a complete shock — none of it was on my radar during pregnancy.
Doctors told me my son wouldn’t live past the age of three. They recommended long-term care placement. But once his major surgeries were complete — including open-heart surgery — I chose to take his care into my own hands. I advocated fiercely for everything he needed: from feeding therapy to private duty nursing to specialized services. Today, my son is 17 years old. He is not only surviving — he is thriving.
While I know my advocacy made a difference, the truth is: he is where he is today because he is a fighter. And because of him, I became one too.
To this day, I continue to fight for his care — and that’s why this work is so close to my heart. I understand what it means to face a broken, complicated system while trying to protect someone you love. And I will bring that same passion, commitment, and determination to advocate for you and your family
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