Lisa made her next phone call to an insurance company to help a woman named Civia. For years, Civia, a mother of three, suffered from severe menstrual bleeding, which in time caused anemia. Her physician recommended surgery to remove her endometrial lining. She also recommended a tubal ligation—having her tubes tied—because a pregnancy in Civia's condition could be very dangerous.

Civia had the surgery—but her insurance company did not pay the full claim. "They said that getting one's tubes tied is 'elective' surgery," Lisa says. "So, now she's stuck with a $16,000 bill."

After Lisa called, Civia says she heard from her insurance company that they had made a mistake. After reviewing her case, the insurance company agreed to cover the cost of her bills.