Financial Aid for treatment

[Joel77st]

My mother-in-law is currently paying out of pocket for her chemo and radiation therapy. She is in the 'donut hole' with medicare. She is at the poverty level, living only on Social Security. Is there any financial aid for her out there?

[Treebywater]

http://www.abta.org/Care_&_Support/Fina ... sources/49

This link was posted at another support site I visit. It starts out talking about 'brain tumors' but it seems to be applicable to a wider spectrum than that.

I hope something here is helpful!

[ts]

Many hospitals with cancer centers have oncology social workers who specialize in helping patients with financial aspects of treatment. The American Cancer Society also has cancer navigators who are able to help. There are quite a few foundations that help when insurance doesn't cover costs that are not affordable - with need based qualifications.

The records show that lung cancer is one of the quickest way to bankruptcy, but if you have someone in your corner, it usually is manageable.

Chemo and radiation are in-patient procedures and not usually subject to the donut hole, from what I know (I am not on Medicare.) I think that should only apply for pharmaceuticals - drugs as an outpatient. Those can get expensive, but many manufacturers offer financial assistance for patients.

[KatieB]

The makers of the chemotherapy she is taking provide finanacial assitance. There is also a company called Diplomat which helps with finanaical assistance as well. Here are some links for you

Patient Advocate Foundation http://www.patientadvocate.org/

Diplomat Financial Assistance Navigator

http://diplomatpharmacy.com/

Cancer Care Co-Pay Assistance Program

1-866-552-6729

LIST OF COMPANIES THAT OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

LIST OF COMPANIES WHO OFFER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:

Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) 888-477-2669

Amgen Patient Assistance 800-272-9376

Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation 800-736-0003

Genentech's Single Point of Contact 888-249-4918

GlaxoSmithKline's Commitment to Access 866-265-6491

Lilly Cares 800-249-4918

Millennium Reimbursement Assistance Program for VELCADE 866-VELCADE

Pfizer's Helpful Answers: Patient Assistance Programs 877-744-5675

Sanofi-Aventis Reimbursement Services & Patient Assistance Programs 800-996-6626

AMGEN REIMBURSEMENT CONNECTION

800-272-9376 800-272-9376

WWW.AMGEN.COM/PATIENTS/ASSISTANCE.HTML

FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED AND WHO HAVE LIMITED FINANCIAL RESOURCES; BASED ON INSURED STATUS AND INCOME LEVEL. DRUGS IN THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE ARANESP® (DARBEPOETIN ALFA) AND NEULASTA® (PEGFILGRASTIM).

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB PATIENT ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION

800-736-0003 800-736-0003

WWW.BMSPAF.ORG

ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO PATIENTS WITH FINANCIAL HARDSHIP WHO GENERALLY HAVE NO PRIVATE PRESCRIPTION DRUG INSURANCE AND ARE NOT ENROLLED IN A PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE PLAN THROUGH MEDICAID OR ANY OTHER FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL HEALTH PROGRAM.

CANCERCARE

800-813-4673 800-813-4673

WWW.CANCERCARE.ORG/GET_HELP/ASSISTANCE

CANCERCARE’S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PROVIDES LIMITED GRANTS FOR CERTAIN EXPENSES RELATED TO TREATMENT.

GENENTECH’S SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT

888-249-4918 888-249-4918

WWW.SPOCONLINE.COM

AVASTIN EXPENDITURE CAP: 800-232-2717 800-232-2717 ]

A REIMBURSEMENT RESOURCE FOR GENENTECH PRODUCTS THAT PROVIDES INFORMATION TO PATIENTS AND THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS.

GLAXOSMITHKLINE’S COMMITMENT TO ACCESS

866-265-6491 866-265-6491

WWW.COMMITMENTTOACCESS.GSK.COM

PROVIDES OUTPATIENT MEDICATIONS TO ELIGIBLE LOW-INCOME PATIENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS.

LILLY CARES

800-545-6962 800-545-6962

WWW.LILLYCARES.COM

PROVIDES TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO PATIENTS OBTAINING LILLY OR DISTA MEDICATION.

MERCK'S ACT PROGRAM

866-363-6379 866-363-6379

HTTP://WWW.EMEND.COM/APREPITANT/EMEND/C ... /INDEX.JSP

ACT IS A TWO-PART PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ASSIST INSURED PATIENTS WITH INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES, AND TO PROVIDE PRODUCT SUPPORT FOR THOSE QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS LACKING COVERAGE FOR EMEND® (APREPITANT).

PARTNERSHIP FOR PRESCRIPTION ASSISTANCE

888-477-2669 888-477-2669

WWW.PPARX.ORG

OFFERS A SINGLE POINT OF ACCESS TO MORE THAN 275 PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.

PATIENT ADVOCATE FOUNDATION'S CO-PAY RELIEF 866-512-3861

WWW.COPAYS.ORG

PROVIDES DIRECT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO QUALIFIED PATIENTS TO ENABLE THEM TO AFFORD CO-PAYMENTS REQUIRED BY THEIR INSURANCE. OFFERS PERSONAL SERVICE TO ALL PATIENTS THROUGH CALL COUNSELORS.

PFIZER’S FIRSTRESOURCE

877-744-5675 877-744-5675

WWW.PFIZERHELPFULANSWERS.COM

FIRSTRESOURCE PROVIDES PRODUCTS TO ELIGIBLE, LOW-INCOME, UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED PATIENTS.

RXASSIST AND RX OUTREACH PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

WWW.RXASSIST.ORG

OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO PATIENTS WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE WHO MEET INCOME REQUIREMENTS.

RX HOPE

877-979-4673 877-979-4673

WWW.RXHOPE.COM

OFFERS INFORMATION ON ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FROM VARIOUS PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES; OFFERS AN ASSISTANCE FINDER, WHICH MATCHES PATIENT INFORMATION AGAINST AVAILABLE FEDERAL, STATE AND CHARITABLE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAMS.

SANOFI-AVENTIS’S PACT PLUS

800-996-6626 800-996-6626

HTTP://ONCOLOGY.SANOFI-AVENTIS.US/REIMBURSEMENT.DO

OFFERS REIMBURSEMENT SERVICES AND PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS FOR MOST PRODUCTS INCLUDING TAXOTERE® (DOXETAXEL) AND ELOXATIN® (OXALIPLATIN INJECTION).

SCHERING-PLOUGH’S COMMITMENT TO CARE PROGRAM

800-521-7157 800-521-7157

WWW.SCHERING-PLOUGH.COM/SCHERING_PLOUGH ... T_CARE.JSP

PROVIDES FREE CANCER MEDICATIONS THROUGH PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS TO PEOPLE WITH LOW INCOMES WHO DO NOT HAVE PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE.

TOGETHER RX ACCESS

800-444-4106 800-444-4106

WWW.TOGETHERRXACCESS.COM

ASSISTANCE FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE INELIGIBLE FOR MEDICARE, HAVE NO PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE AND MEET HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND AGE REQUIREMENTS.