A medical emergency leaves you with tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid hospital bills. Your health insurance company rejects coverage for an important medical test. An unexpected diagnosis requires you to find three new medical specialists.

In today's health care system, consumers are increasingly on their own when these complex -- and often costly -- medical problems arise. Primary care doctors once helped patients manage such situations, but many physicians now have 15 minutes or less for each appointment. It's in this high-pressure environment that a new industry of patient advocates -- sometimes called patient navigators -- has emerged, offering to help guide patients through knotty health situations.

Driven by an increasing number of baby boomers dealing with chronic medical problems, the field has mainly taken shape in the last 5 to 10 years, according to Professor Theresa Cronan of San Diego State University.

"People with chronic conditions use the health care system more. But the health care system has become so complex that it's really hard for people to navigate," said Cronan, who has studied the health advocacy industry.

Here are some questions and answers about these businesses and the services they offer:

WHAT DO PATIENT ADVOCATES DO?

Patient advocates are hired to help solve health care problems or help patients get the best care possible. Advocates can work for companies with hundreds of employees or operate as stand-alone consultants for a handful of clients. Some of the most common tasks health advocates work on include:

Negotiating discounts and payment plans for large medical bills;

Managing and filing insurance paperwork, especially appeals where companies deny coverage for expensive procedures or equipment;

Helping patients find and schedule appointments with medical experts who specialize in rare or hard-to-treat diseases.

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Patient navigators can help cut through health care's red tape and potentially save money