Nicole Bunge needed to be her own advocate to navigate getting financial assistance after an unexpected diagnosis.

After a short inpatient stay at a hospital, Nicole was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Unable to work due to her condition, Nicole went down many avenues to receive assistance — submitting a financial assistance application, finding an experienced patient advocate, obtaining Medicaid coverage, and applying for disability benefits — but she still deals with illegitimate bills and confusing, lengthy processes.

Nicole advocating at a Day of Action event to End Medical Debt in Washington, D.C.