Financial Assistance Part 1
Non-Profits and Government
Financial support programs from nonprofits and government agencies are constantly changing. The following text was taken from their web sites, but it is important to refer back to the sources for the most up to date information about pre-requisites and currently available funding. Also keep in mind that most of these sources of funds are means tested—typically grants are restricted to those with low incomes.
Four types of nonprofits are listed here, in descending order of relevance to those with CLL:
- Blood cancer
- Cancer
- General health
- Government agencies
Blood Cancer:
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
(800) 955-4572
Web site: http://www.lls.org/support/financial-support E-mail: http://www.lls.org/content/contact-us
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) offers a range of financial assistance programs to help individuals with financial need who are under a doctor’s care for a confirmed blood cancer diagnosis. LLS offers co-pay and travel cost assistance, among other financial support programs. The availability of funds can vary over time.
Reimbursements are usually processed through your local chapter and payments are issued directly to you. Please contact LLS for further detailed information regarding its programs.
Lymphoma Research Foundation
(800) 500-9976
Website: www.lymphoma.org
E-mail: [email protected]
The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) offers financial assistance program for people currently undergoing treatment for lymphoma. Through this program, LRF may be able to assist with quality-of-life expenses.
The Bone Marrow Foundation
(800) 365-1336
Website: www.bonemarrow.org/support-and-financial-aid/financial-assistance
The Bone Marrow Foundation’s Patient Aid Program covers the cost of donor searches, compatibility testing, bone marrow procurement, medication, transportation, housing expenses and many other ancillary costs associated with a transplant.
Cancer:
CancerCare®
(800) 813-4673
Website: www.CancerCare.org Email: [email protected]
Financial Assistance Program
Helps with treatment-related costs, such as transportation, home care and childcare.
Co-Payment Assistance Foundation
Helps with insurance co-payments to cover the cost of chemotherapy and targeted treatments
Angel’s Flight
(918) 749-8992
Website: www.angelflight.com Email: [email protected]
Arranges free air transportation for any legitimate, charitable, medically related need.
Corporate Angel Network
(914) 328-1313
Website: http://www.corpangelnetwork.org/ Email [email protected]
Corporate Angel Network is the only charitable organization in the United States whose sole mission is to help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel to treatment across the country using empty seats on corporate jets.
Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition
Website: www.cancerfac.org
CFAC is a coalition of financial assistance organizations that have joined forces to help cancer patients experience better health and well-being by limiting financial challenges. CFAC has developed a searchable, user-friendly database of financial resources for cancer patients.
Lazarex Cancer Foundation
(925) 820-4517
Email: [email protected] Website: www.lazarex.org
Lazarex Cancer Foundation is a non-profit that helps patients cover the non-trial related costs such as housing and transport in clinical trials.
Patient Advocate Foundation
(866) 512-3861 co-pay relief program Website: www.patientadvocate.org
E-mail: [email protected]
The Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that serves as an active liaison between the patient and their insurer, employer or creditors to resolve insurance, job discrimination or debt crisis matters related to their diagnosis through case managers, doctors and attorneys. A special program offers financial assistance to lymphoma patients who need help with co-pays for drugs that treat lymphoma, anemia (low red blood cell counts) and neutropenia (low white blood cell counts). Call Counselors assist patients with the application process. Patients may receive up to $4,000 per year. Funds are limited and become available on the first of each month, so patients applying at this time have the best chance of receiving help. Patients may be reimbursed for previous expenses up to one year from grant award date.
Family Reach
857-233-2764
Website: https://familyreach.org/gethelp/
Family Reach is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support to patients who reside in the United States and its territories and are in active treatment for cancer. When funds are available, they offer grants to help cover nonmedical expenses, including mortgage/rent payments, utilities, groceries, and transportation. In addition, they offer resource navigation support and financial tips and guidebooks.
General Health-Related Charities:
GiveForward
(312) 957-6113
Email: [email protected] Website: www.GiveForward.com
GiveForward provides personal fundraising pages and fundraising coaching to help people raise money for out-of-pocket medical expenses including co-pays, travel and living expenses. It is now part of GoFundMe.
Healthwell Foundation
(800) 675-8416
Website: www.healthwellfoundation.org
A non-profit organization established to address the needs of individuals who cannot afford their insurance co-payments, premiums, co-insurance or other out of pocket healthcare costs.
National Foundation of Transplants (NFT)
(800) 489-3863
Website: www.transplants.org E-mail: [email protected]
NFT is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing fundraising assistance to families incurring financial challenges due to an organ/tissue transplant and to promoting organ donor awareness.
Needy Meds
(800) 503-6897
Website: www.needymeds.org [email protected]
NeedyMeds is a non-profit information resource devoted to helping people in need find assistance programs to help them afford their medications and costs related to health care. It also offers a free drug discount card that may help you obtain a substantially lower price on your medications. This card can be used instead of insurance or by anyone without insurance.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Website: www.pparx.org
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance offers a single point of access to more than 475 public and private patient assistance programs, including more than 150 programs offered by pharmaceutical companies. Patients can be screened for eligibility and begin enrollment applications for medication assistance programs by calling the phone number or visiting the website.
Patient Access Network
(866) 316-PANF (7263)
Website: www.panfoundation.org [email protected]
The Patient Access Network Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of patients who cannot access the treatments they need due to out-of-pocket (co-pay) health care costs.
United Way of America
(703) 836-7112
Website: http://national.unitedway.org
The United Way of America offers local toll-free information lines linking people to community resources and services, such as emergency housing and food assistance.
Government Agencies:
Hill-Burton Free Hospital Care
(800) 638-0742
Website: www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton/ E-mail: [email protected]
The Division of Facilities Compliance and Recovery monitor’s facilities nationwide that receive federal funds under the Hill-Burton Program for modernization/construction, and in return are required to provide a specific amount of free or reduced-cost health care to people who are unable to pay. This office provides information to the public on the location of these facilities and income eligibility criteria.
Social Security Administration (SSA)
(800) 772-1213
Website: www.ssa.gov
SSA is a government agency that oversees the Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare programs. Medicare is a federal health insurance program for those who are 65 or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and disabled people under age 65 who have received Social Security payments for at least 24 months. Contact the SSA to get information on eligibility and coverage and to find out how to apply to any of these programs.
Department of Veterans Affairs
(877) 222-8387
Website: www.va.gov
Eligible veterans and their dependents may receive cancer treatment at a Veterans Administration Medical Center.
