From the Magic Kingdom to Medical Billing: My Unbreakable Rule of Care
- Lorraine Seibold
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
By Ashley Christenson, RHIT, CPB,CPC,CPPM,CPMA
Founder & CEO, Golden Bee Billing Services, LLC
Before I was ever a biller…
before I knew what an EOB was…
before I learned how to fix denials…
I was a 15-year-old kid working at Disney.
And I still think about that all the time.
Because Disney taught me something I didn’t realize would follow me through my entire life:
Every single person deserves to feel like they matter.
Like they’re seen.
Like they aren’t just being pushed through a system.
Disney doesn’t care if you’re a billionaire or a family who saved pennies for 15 years to be there for one day. You treat them EXACTLY the same. And to make that feeling real; to make every person feel safe, welcomed, and cared for, Disney gave us these intentional standards. Not to make us perfect, but to make us unified. One team. One calm presence. One steady, predictable experience for millions of completely different people.
We all looked the same.
We all spoke the same.
We all carried ourselves the same way.
Maintain a polished appearance.
Speak clearly and directly.
Respond with genuine kindness.
Commit to solving the issue.
Never defer responsibility.
And if you’re having the worst day of your life?
Nobody else gets to feel it.
Because their experience matters.
And honestly?
That training changed me.
In Healthcare, People Arrive Scared and Hit a System
People come into healthcare scared.
Confused.
Lost.
Overwhelmed.
Embarrassed.
Angry because they don’t understand what’s happening.
Afraid to ask questions.
Afraid they can’t afford care.
Afraid of being judged.
And let's be honest, the providers are often feeling the same pressure. They are overwhelmed, worried about their patients' continuity of care, and scared that operational failures will threaten their practice, which is their livelihood.
And then they hit the system....
the phone trees, the hold times, the incorrect information, the people who shrug and say:
“I’m sorry, that’s not my department.”
Every time that happens, the Disney part of my brain starts screaming:
Do not pass this person off.
Do not leave them wandering.
Do not diminish their questions.
FIND the answer.
Walk with them until they’re okay.
It’s automatic.
It’s literally wired into me.
And that’s why I am the way I am in this field.
The Real Core: Kindness is Not a Performance, It’s a Choice
This is the part people miss.
Disney may have trained me,
but the way I treat people comes from being a kind human being who cares about other humans.
I talk to patients with compassion because they’re people.
I explain insurance slowly because they’re overwhelmed or don't have clear understanding.
I stay calm when someone yells because yelling usually means fear, not hatred.
I listen because almost every frustrated person is actually telling you the solution inside the frustration.
It’s not about putting on a show.
It’s not about pretending.
It’s not about acting.
It’s about choosing to treat people like human beings, the way you’d want someone to treat you.
And honestly?
Healthcare would feel very different if more people remembered that.
When Someone Yells, I Don't Hear Hate, I Hear Fear
When someone yells at me, I’m not thinking:
“Wow, how rude.”
I’m thinking:
“What is this person trying to tell me that nobody else bothered to listen to?”
Because 99% of the time, inside the yelling is the REAL problem:
They’re scared.
They’re confused.
They don’t understand the bill.
They don’t know what’s covered.
They’ve asked five people and still don’t have answers.
They’re tired.
They’re frustrated.
They’re human.
And if you actually LISTEN,
you can find what they’re really asking for.
That isn’t weakness.
That isn’t being a doormat.
That’s what true calm under pressure looks like.
It’s what Disney drilled into me at 15:
Stay calm.
Stay steady.
Don’t match their energy.
Don’t take it personally.
Guide them back to safety.
People don’t need my emotions.
They need clarity.
My commitment to clear, compassionate communication extends to the provider as well. Just as patients don't understand their EOBs, most dedicated mental health professionals don't speak the language of billing codes, payer contracts, or state laws. They shouldn't have to. Their expertise lies in healing and support. My role is to be the human translator who converts the administrative burden into simple, actionable compliance and financial clarity. I ensure they understand the "why" behind their metrics and the "how" of their revenue cycle, allowing them to remain focused on the humans they serve.
My Why: Not For Money, But For People
People assume billing is only about money because billing touches money.
But that is not why I do this.
That has never been why.
It’s not about:
how much insurance pays
allowables
CPT codes
copays
sliding scales
productivity
service mix
revenue targets
Those things matter for operations, yes.
But they aren’t the heart of the work.
At the core, there is only this:
A human who needs care.
A provider who wants to help.
My job is standing in the middle to ensure nothing breaks that connection.
When billing fails, care stops.
When billing works, care continues.
That’s my WHY.
Not for money.
For people.
The Truth About Insurance: We Are All Fighting the Same Red Tape
Everyone wants to blame the insurance companies.
And trust me, I get the frustration more than most.
But the truth is, this is the system we have right now.
This is how our country operates.
Does it need change? Absolutely.
Do I hope there’s reform someday? Yes.
But only blaming or avoiding the insurance companies doesn’t actually fix anything in the moment.
We are all fighting through red tape:
Providers,
Patients,
Billers,
Front desk staff,
Credentialing teams,
Everyone.
And the purpose of healthcare is COMMUNITY.
We’re all supposed to be on the same side, working toward the same goal;
getting people the care they need.
No one should be fighting each other.
Not the patient versus the provider.
Not the provider versus the biller.
Not the biller versus the insurance rep on the other end of the phone.
We all have a role.
We all hold a piece of the puzzle.
And none of us can make the system work alone.
Billing is Not "Just Admin Work"—It is the Foundation of Care
Billing isn’t just numbers.
It’s not “admin work.”
It’s not “just claims.”
It’s the FOUNDATION of whether people can continue care.
If billing breaks:
patients stop therapy
providers lose income
clinics collapse
people quit
trust erodes
fear takes over
So when I explain insurance in plain language,
when I fix denials others miss,
when I file appeals correctly,
when I sit on hold for an hour because a patient or a provider deserves answers,
I’m not “just billing.”
I am protecting the care.
I’m protecting the patient.
I’m protecting the provider.
I’m protecting the entire experience.
I’ve been doing this for 20 years.
It’s my career.
My purpose.
The thing I’m built for.
And none of it would exist without the values I learned at Disney
and the heart I already had before I ever put on that costume.
This Isn’t About Magic — It’s About Standards and Humanity
Healthcare doesn’t need performances.
But it DOES need:
kindness
clarity
respect
follow-through
real listening
accountability
people who actually care
Disney didn’t make me this way;
it sharpened what was already there.
And honestly? The difference healthcare needs isn't magic; it's the professional application of kindness, clarity, and follow-through.
My commitment isn't just a philosophy; it's how Golden Bee Billing Services operates every day. We understand that in a complex system, the greatest service we can offer is being the clear, reliable bridge between the patient, the provider, and the insurance company. We know that protecting the operational foundation is the best way to protect your practice's health. We stand in the middle, ready to hold the line for clarity, compassion, and continuity of care. Because in this industry, the greatest success is found in knowing that when people need care, a unified team is ready to see them, walk with them, and make sure their connection to that care never breaks.
