These days, health care is a hotly debated topic. No one knows for sure what our health care system will end up looking like when it all shakes down. People on both sides of the political aisle can agree with the majority who are simply getting run over in the middle that we all hope, in the end, that our health care system will offer quality medical care. Whether we end up each owning medical insurance, or whatever form the system ultimately takes, we all want to be able to see a doctor when we’re sick, and to receive quality care.

Of course, for now, most of us in the United States have traditional medical insurance coverage. Of all points of the health care debate, there are few more hotly contested than who should have the right to determine what kinds of treatments we receive. As it is now, doctors, health care professionals, prescription drug companies and medical insurance actuaries all have a say in the matter.

So, in today’s system, what happens if our medical insurance says no to a treatment or medicine our physician recommends? Most people assume they’re simply screwed, but that’s not really the case. Here’s the best process to deal with being told no by your insurance company:

1. Contact your doctor. There may be alternate treatments which are as good or nearly so and are acceptable to your insurance company.

1. Contact your insurance company to file a grievance. If your doctor says there isn’t another treatment that will work for your case, get it in writing and submit your claim again, along with a grievance. Too many people simply accept no the first time. Your insurance company will do an internal review, and may reverse their earlier decision.

1. If they don’t, file an external grievance with your state’s governing body. Sometimes simply having this filed will get some favorable action on the insurance company’s part, as it isn’t in their best interests to deal with multiple grievances.

1. If that doesn’t work, consider contacting an attorney. Sometimes they can help, sometimes they can’t, but it’s worth a shot. This is your health we’re talking about, after all.