Make sure you have your health insurer's phone number. Make sure you understand its prescription coverage policy. And its appeal policy. Find out, if you can, how quickly your health insurer adds newly approved drugs to its formulary (the list of drugs it will cover). If there's a delay, consider getting a letter from your doctor stating the need for this drug so you can get a prescription anyway.

Find out what your copayments are. Find out if you can get a three-month supply at once instead of just a one-month supply, so that you won't be paying as much out of your own pocket each month.

If you don't have a case manager at your health insurer, it might be wise to insist upon getting one. I had quite a battle over this, as my insurer contended I didn't need one. But it pays off to have someone there in a higher-ranking position who knows your case and can intervene when a customer service rep isn't helping.

Remember that it's very possible in dealing with a customer service rep at your insurer that they know less about your coverage than you do. That's why you really *must* get a copy of your **subscriber agreement** (the entire coverage document) and read it carefully. Also remember that if you call your insurer eight times, you could get eight different answers. Document all your phone conversations — name of the rep, time, date, etc.

You should also familiarize yourself with the laws in your state. There are very few national health insurance laws; most insurance coverage is governed at the state level. That's why it's very difficult here on this list to compare coverage to each other, even if you have the same health insurer. What Blue Cross covers in one state might not apply to its coverage in another state. Most states have extensive information about your insurance rights (and responsibilities) on their state insurance department Web sites. If you need help finding them, let me know.

This is a lot of work. But as you know, when it comes to health care, you must know what your rights are and be prepared to advocate for them yourself. Remember, no one cares as much about your coverage as you do.

If you don't have health insurance, you'll have to investigate the various programs available for subsidizing coverage. Virtually every drug company has a program like this. And there are also consumer groups that can help.