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Financial Assistance & ResourcesListed below are Government agencies, organizations, and programs that are designed to provide assistance for cancer patients and their families. However, resources provided by individual organizations vary, and it is important to check with a specific group to determine if financial aid is currently available. Organizations that provide publications in Spanish or have Spanish-speaking staff have been identified. Financial Support Links | Practical Needs Support Links Hill-Burton is a program through which hospitals receive construction and modernization funds from the Federal Government. Hospitals that receive Hill-Burton funds are required by law to provide a reasonable volume of services to people who cannot afford to pay for their hospitalization and make their services available to all residents in the facility’s area. Information about Hill-Burton facilities is available by calling the toll-free number or visiting the Web site shown below. A brochure about the program is available in Spanish. Medicaid (Medical Assistance), a jointly funded, Federal-State health insurance program for people who need financial assistance for medical expenses, is coordinated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Although the Federal Government establishes general guidelines for the program, Medicaid program requirements are established by each state. Medicaid coverage includes part-time nursing, home care aide services, and medical supplies and equipment. Information about coverage is available from local state welfare offices, state health departments, state social services agencies, or the state Medicaid office. Check the local telephone directory for the number to call. Information about specific state contacts is also available by searching the CMS.gov Contacts Database at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/contacts on the Internet (select State Health Departments as the Organization Type). Spanish-speaking staff are available in some offices. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act provides, in most states, Medicaid coverage for treatment to women who have been screened for and diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer, including precancerous conditions, through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. For more information about eligibility and contacts for this program, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000” Web page, which is located at http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/legislation/law106-354.htm on the Internet. Medicare is a Federal health insurance program also administered by the CMS. Eligible individuals include those who are 65 or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and disabled people under age 65. Medicare is divided into two parts, Part A and Part B. Part A pays for hospital care, home health care, hospice care, and care in Medicare-certified nursing facilities. Part B covers medically necessary services, including diagnostic studies, physicians’ services, durable home medical equipment, and ambulance transportation; Part B also covers screening exams for several types of cancer. To receive information on eligibility, explanations of coverage, and related publications, call Medicare at the number listed below or visit their Web site. Some publications are available in Spanish. Spanish-speaking staff are available. The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) is a Federal-State partnership that offers low-cost or free health insurance coverage to uninsured infants, children, and teens. Callers will be referred to the program in their state for further information about what the program covers, who is eligible, and the minimum qualifications. In most states, uninsured children age 18 and younger whose families meet the income requirement are eligible. For a list of health insurance coverage and eligibility by state, go to http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/states.asp on the Internet. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Cancer Program ensures that users of the veterans health care system have easy access to high quality cancer prevention, detection, and treatment services. Eligible veterans and their dependents may receive cancer treatment at a Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center. Treatment for a service-connected condition is provided, and treatment for other conditions may be available based on the veteran’s financial need. Veterans who are disabled from military service can receive home care services from the VA, but these services can only be provided by VA hospitals. The VHA Cancer Program Web site offers links to cancer facts, information about care, a list of VHA-designated comprehensive cancer centers, and the VA’s national cancer strategy. Some publications are available in Spanish. Spanish-speaking staff are available in some offices. CancerCare is a national nonprofit agency that offers free support, information, financial assistance, and practical help to people with cancer and their loved ones. Financial assistance is given in the form of limited grants for certain treatment expenses. CancerCare also provides limited grants for home care, childcare, and transportation costs to men, women, and children in active cancer treatment. Services are provided by oncology social workers and are available in person, over the telephone, and through the agency’s Web site. CancerCare’s reach also extends to professionals—providing education, information, and assistance. A section of the CancerCare Web site and some publications are available in Spanish, and staff can respond to calls and e-mails in Spanish.
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) offers information and financial aid to patients in significant financial need who have leukemia, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, or multiple myeloma. The LLS’s “Patient Financial Aid” Web page provides more information about the types of service available, application forms, and eligibility requirements at http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/all_page?item_id=4603 on the Internet. The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) offers financial assistance through its Marrow Foundation® Patient Assistance Program (the fund-raising partner of the NMDP). The Patient Assistance Program helps patients pay for searching the NMDP Registry and/or for some post-transplant costs. Applications for Patient Assistance Program funds must be submitted by an NMDP transplant center. Eligible patients may ask their transplant center coordinator to apply for one or both programs (search assistance and/or transplant support assistance). NeedyMeds is a Web-based information resource for people who need assistance paying for health care. NeedyMeds has information on patient assistance programs that provide free or low-cost medicine to people who are uninsured or underinsured. NeedyMeds does not supply medications or financial assistance but helps people find programs that provide these services. This resource also offers information on other assistance programs, such as discount drug cards, disease-based assistance (programs that help with costs associated with specific diseases), and free or low-cost clinics. The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) provides education, legal counseling, and referrals to cancer patients and survivors concerning managed care, insurance, financial issues, job discrimination, and debt crisis matters. The PAF also conducts outreach to African American and Hispanic/Latino American populations.
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