A serious illness can put a strain on you in many ways — physically, emotionally, and even financially. Even if you have insurance or can pay out of pocket, medical bills add up. But there is help available through different charities to ease the burden of health-related costs.
Dollar For
Dollar For (dollarfor.org) helps you apply for hospital financial assistance. Hospitals are legally required to provide this type of assistance but don’t have to tell patients if they’re eligible. Every year, patients leave $14 billion in available hospital funding on the table. Dollar For helps you find and access programs that can forgive or reduce medical bills based on your income.
Good Days
Good Days (mygooddays.org) offers funding, education, and other types of support to people with long-term illnesses. The nonprofit offers grants and helps you access other healthcare resources. Support depends on your income, whether you have valid medical insurance, and other things. If Good Days approves you for an open fund, they provide financial help for the entire year or until the funds are gone.
HealthWell Foundation
If you have health insurance but it’s not enough to cover your medical expenses, the HealthWell Foundation (healthwellfoundation.org) may be able to assist. They help by paying for copays, premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs. Their Disease Funds cover a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, and other conditions. HealthWell decides if you’re qualified based on your medical, financial, and insurance details.
Triage Health
Triage Health (triagehealth.org) offers free help understanding the legal and practical issues involved in dealing with a serious illness. Concerns like whether a treatment is approved and whether insurance must pay for it are legal as well as financial issues.
The nonprofit also has resources for managing medical bills and getting financial help.
The Assistance Fund
If you have expenses such as copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, or other health-related costs, The Assistance Fund (enroll.tafcares.org) could help. They manage more than 100 programs for different conditions and cover all FDA-approved treatments for each one. U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have received a diagnosis for an eligible health condition and meet income and other requirements can apply for assistance.
Family Reach
Some charities help pay for expenses that aren’t directly related to medical care. Family Reach (familyreach.org) helps people living with cancer in paying for food, housing, utilities, transportation, and other daily needs. You can search for resources on their website or talk to a resource navigator about your needs after filling out an application. They’ll share a custom list of resources and how to apply for funding.
Pink Fund
The Pink Fund (pinkfund.org) helps people with breast cancer by offering financial assistance for up to 90 days. The support covers living expenses while you’re in active treatment. This includes therapies like surgery to remove the cancer, chemotherapy, and radiation. To apply, visit their website and answer the prequalifying questions. If you qualify, you can apply online or download and print an application.
American Kidney Fund
For people with kidney disease, the American Kidney Fund (kidneyfund.org) offers financial help with health insurance premiums, transportation costs, prescription medicines, and other health care expenses. This help often comes in the form of grants, which have different criteria based on each program. Visit the American Kidney Fund website and select the program you’re most interested in for more information.
CancerCare
CancerCare (cancercare.org) offers some financial help for costs related to cancer and treatment copayments. The financial assistance program includes transportation, home care, child care, and help with pets. You may be eligible for support if you have a confirmed cancer diagnosis, are in active treatment, live in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, and meet federal poverty limit guidelines.
Church-Based Funding
Many places of worship help with medical bills. Churches often set aside money for their members and people in the community. Faith-based groups like Show Hope (showhope.org) also provide this kind of support. Contact your local parish or church office to see if they have a program for helping with expenses. Be ready to show your medical bills or proof of financial need, as churches usually pay the provider directly.
Hospital Charity Care
Hospital charity care is a program that lowers or erases medical bills for people with low incomes, who are uninsured, or who are underinsured. These programs usually cover necessary medical treatment and emergency room visits. They might not pay for independent doctors who send separate bills. Nonprofit hospitals must provide charity care to keep their tax-exempt status, but for-profit hospitals aren’t required to do so.
Show Sources
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SOURCES:
Dollar For: “What We Do.”
Good Days: “About,” “Frequently Asked Questions,”
HealthWell Foundation: “What We Do,” “Disease Funds,” “Eligibility.”
Patient Advocate Foundation: “TotalAssist.”
Triage Health: “Get the Information You Need.”
The Assistance Fund: “Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency Financial Assistance Program,” “About Us.”
Family Reach: “Our Mission,” “Speak to someone on our team,” “Financial Resource Center.”
Pink Fund: “About Pink Fund,” “Pink Fund Application FAQs.”
American Kidney Fund: “Get Assistance.”
CancerCare: “Financial Assistance Program,” “Financial and Co-Pay Assistance.”
Capin Crouse: “Important Considerations for Church Benevolence Programs.”
Grain Ledger: “A Practical Guide to Your Church Benevolence Fund.”
Show Hope: “Medical Care Grants for Families.”
KFF: “Hospital Charity Care: How It Works and Why It Matters.”
Washingtonlawhelp.org: “Guide to Charity Care.”
