Cut The Crap With Nicole Notar | EP07

Excision surgery often sits just out of reach in endometriosis care, and Nicole Notar explains why. Insurance barriers, outdated coding, and persistent misconceptions turn a medically necessary procedure into something patients must fight for or fund themselves. Who pays the price when effective care is delayed?

Callie Greenberg talks with Nicole about years of being dismissed with labels like anxiety and IBS before real answers finally came. After exhausting in-network options, Nicole paid out of pocket for excision surgery and discovered widespread disease across multiple organs. That moment confirmed what had long been overlooked and exposed how access to care too often depends on persistence and finances rather than medical need.

Out of that experience, Nicole founded Endo Excision For All, a nonprofit focused on helping patients access excision surgery now while pushing for policy change around insurance, reimbursement, and disability recognition. The episode also breaks down the hidden financial realities of endometriosis care and offers practical guidance for navigating billing and coverage. Real progress will require systems that treat endometriosis as the complex, full-body disease it is.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Endo Warriors Intro: Endometriosis And Women’s Health

00:45 Nicole Notar And The Endo Excision For All Nonprofit

01:38 Endometriosis Misdiagnosis: IBS, Anxiety, And Dismissed Pain

10:18 Choosing Excision Surgery After Insurance Denial

12:06 Excision Surgery Findings: Endometriosis Across Multiple Organs

16:41 Why Excision Surgery Is Expensive: Insurance And Coding Barriers

18:41 Policy Change For Endometriosis: ADA, FMLA, And Disability Access

19:59 Excision Surgery Vs Ablation: What Patients Need To Know

39:48 Surgery Billing Reality: Surprise Costs And Insurance Gaps

50:20 Endometriosis Advocacy: Capitol Hill Day And How To Get Involved

Connect with Callie Greenberg:

Visit the Own My Endo website

Follow Endo Warriors on Instagram

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm