The Empowered Patient How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time

The facts are alarming: Medical errors kill more people each year than AIDS, breast cancer, or car accidents. A doctor's relationship with pharmaceutical companies may influence his choice of drugs for you. The wrong key word on an insurance claim can deny you coverage. Through real life stories, including her own, and shrewd advice, CNN's Elizabeth Cohen shows you how to become your own advocate and navigate the minefield of today's health-care system. But there's good news. Discover how to find a doctor who gets you and listens to you; ask the right questions for the best treatment; make the most out of a short office visit; cut out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs; harness the power of the Internet for medical issues and fight back when claims are denied. Combining the personal stories of patients across America with crucial advice on receiving the best possible health care, this guide will enable you to confront an often confusing and perilous system-and come out ahead.

Elizabeth Cohen is Senior Medical Correspondent for CNN and author of the popular “Empowered Patient” column on cnn.com. She received her master’s in Public Health from Boston University and her bachelor’s degree from Columbia University in New York City. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Tal Cohen, and four daughters.