Independent Voices
Patient Advocates
People who have been through the system — and refuse to let the next patient face it alone. They turn lived experience navigating the denial machine into public, teachable, organized advocacy, from the patient side of the door.
Patient Protector Network
Bil & Shanon Schmidtknecht — "Angry Dad" & "Angry Mom" · Wisconsin
Cole Schmidtknecht's parents. After their son died rationing his inhaler, they built a newsroom, a docuseries and a national letter campaign for PBM reform.
Jessica Baladad
Founder, Feel For Your Life · Nashville, TN
Breast cancer survivor who built a 200,000-member patient community and ran the grassroots campaign for Tennessee's FAIR Rx Act — and regularly meets with federal lawmakers on PBM reform, step therapy, and prior authorization.
Aaron Laxton
Social Worker · @aaronthesocialworker
Records his own phone calls fighting insurance denials in real time — making an opaque process transparent and teachable. Not "you should appeal," but "watch me appeal — now you can."