Resources

GENERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society has the following helpful information on their website: "Finding and Paying for Treatment" section includes topics on "Managing Insurance Issues," "Understanding Financial and Legal Matters," and "Finding Support Programs and Services in Your Area." www.cancer.org/treatment/findingandpayingfortreatment/index

American Society of Clinical Oncology

The American Society of Clinical Oncology provides a "Financial Resources" section which lists "organizations that help people with cancer who are facing financial challenges." Financial Resources

Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition

CFAC is a coalition of financial assistance organizations joining forces to help cancer patients experience better health and well-being by limiting financial challenges. www.cancerfac.org

National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health maintains a list of financial assistance links. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/financialassistance.html

Patient Advocate Foundation

Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that serves as an active liaison between the patient and their insurer, employer, and/or creditors to resolve insurance, job retention, and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis through case managers, doctors, and attorneys. www.patientadvocate.org

Sarcoma Alliance

The Alliance maintains a list of financial links. http://sarcomaalliance.org/financial-assistance/

MEDICAL EXPENSE ASSISTANCE

Patient Advocate Foundation

The Patient Advocate Foundation provides patients with arbitration, mediation and negotiation to settle issues with access to care, medical debt and job retention related to their illness. Case managers work with patients, caregivers or their medical personnel free of charge. www.patientadvocate.org

Cancer Care

Cancer Care offers limited financial assistance for cancer-related costs. Costs may include transportation to and from cancer treatment, home care, child care, pain medication, and chemotherapy or targeted treatment co-payments. The organization is staffed by professional oncology social workers. http://www.cancercare.org/

The Max Foundation

The Max Foundation offers support for people who have rare or blood related cancers, through informational referrals for grants and clinical trials relevant to the individual’s cancer. The Foundation also offers a fundraising program for patients to raise money for their own care. http://www.themaxfoundation.org/

Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care (800-638-0742)

The Hill-Burton Free and Reduced Cost Health Care Program is run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Reduced cost health care is provided for those who earn an income that is at or below the HHS poverty guidelines. Individual facilities determine what type of care is offered. Applications can be submitted at Hill-Burton locations. http://www.hrsa.gov/gethealthcare/affordable/hillburton/

Resources to Raise Money for Medical Expenses on the Web

There are websites available that help patients raise money online from their community and network to help pay for medical expenses. These crowdfunding sites include Giveforward http://www.giveforward.com/ , Gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/, and YouCaring https://www.youcaring.com/.

OTHER NON-MEDICAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society can help find specific resources in your region for day to day living such as rent, utilities and transportation. They also have a health insurance information team that helps people understand their choices to change or purchase new insurance. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/findingandpayingfortreatment/understandinghealthinsurance/healthinsuranceandfinancialassistanceforthecancerpatient/index

Team Continuum

Team Continuum provides immediate and vital non-medical assistance to cancer patients and their families. Funding is only available in NY, NJ, CT, MA, NH and RI to patients that demonstrate financial need and are in active treatment. Applications will only be accepted from social workers affiliated with hospitals or treatment facilities in the eligible states. Grants may include payment for a month’s rent/mortgage, gas cards or grocery cards. http://www.teamcontinuum.net/about_us

PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS ASSISTANCE

NeedyMeds.org

NeedyMeds is an online information resource of programs that provide assistance to people who are unable to afford their medications and health care costs. All the information is free, easy to access, and updated regularly. No registration is required and we don't request any personal information. www.needymeds.org/inclusions/newuser.htm

Partnership for Prescription Assistance

The Partnership for Prescription Assistance, a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s biopharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, helps the uninsured and financially- struggling patients to get information about programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. www.pparx.org

RESOURCE SEARCH ENGINES

Association of Community Cancer Centers Drug Reimbursement Hotlines

The ACCC provides a list of drug reimbursement hotlines of pharmaceutical companies. Many companies have developed programs for physicians, their office staff, and, in some cases, patients. http://www.accc-cancer.org/

National Cancer Institute

The National Cancer Institute provides a search engine for support organizations. This can be used to search over 100 organizations worldwide that provide emotional, practical and financial support for people with cancer and their families. Their list includes camps for children who have parents with cancer, groups that assist with housekeeping, and many other programs. http://www.cancer.gov/search/results

Hospitality Homes

Hospitality Homes is a nonprofit organization that provides free short-term housing in volunteer host homes for families and friends of patients receiving medical care in the Boston area. Patients who live more than 50 miles away from their hospital are encouraged to apply. http://hosp.org/

Hope Lodge

Hope Lodge is an American Cancer Society organization that offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free place to stay when undergoing treatment. There are 31 centers nationwide. http://www.cancer.org/treatment/supportprogramsservices/hopelodge/index

Joe’s House

Joe's House Website lists thousands of places to stay across the country near hospitals and treatments centers that offer a discount for traveling cancer patients and their loved ones. The site also includes listings of American Cancer Society's no-cost Hope Lodge locations. www.joeshouse.org

National Association of Hospitality Houses

The Healthcare Hospitality Network, Inc. is a nationwide professional association of 200 nonprofit organizations that provide lodging and support services to patients, families and their loved ones who are receiving medical treatment far from their home communities. http://www.nahhh.org/

Cleaning for a Reason

Cleaning for a Reason partners with housekeeping service agencies to provide help with house cleaning for women with cancer. They provide their services free of charge. http://www.cleaningforareason.org/

Headcovers Unlimited

The mission for Headcovers Unlimited is to provide comfort to cancer patients and other individuals who live with hair loss whether it is caused by cancer chemotherapy treatments, alopecia, aging, trichotillomania or other medical conditions.  Part of that mission is fulfilled by providing free resources for all. The organization provides information, resources, and products such as headwear, wigs and hair, including eyebrow products, cosmetics and beauty help.  http://www.headcovers.com/

MyLifeLine.org

MyLifeLine.org provides free, private, patient websites for people affected by cancer.  The organization’s mission is to empower patients to build an online support community of family and friends to foster connection, inspiration, and healing. They can find cancer specific resources, post requests for help or donations and update everyone at once, so they can reduce anxiety and save the energy needed to heal. It’s the power of that emotional connection, together with practical day-to-day assistance that can see people through to a more positive outcome. http://www.mylifeline.org/

Air Charity Network

Air Charity Network is a charitable organization that provides access for people in need who are seeking free air transportation to specialized health care facilities or distant destinations due to family, community, or national crisis. Air Charity Network serves all 50 states and its volunteer pilots utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for citizens who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation. Air Charity Network members also coordinate flights to fly organ transplant candidates, people involved in clinical trials, chemotherapy or other repetitive treatment, victims of abuse seeking relocation, families receiving help from Ronald McDonald Houses, Shriners Hospitals and many other charities, disabled or sick children to special summer camp programs, and for many other humanitarian reasons. http://aircharitynetwork.org/

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program provides transportation to and from treatment for people who have cancer who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves. Volunteer drivers donate their time and the use of their cars so that patients can receive the life-saving treatments they need. www.cancer.org/treatment/supportprogramsservices/road-to-recovery

Angel Airlines For Cancer Patients

Angel Airlines For Cancer Patients’ (AACP) facilitates no-cost or reduced rate commercial airline tickets for needy cancer patients and their families. http://www.angelairlinesforcancerpatients.org/about-us/

Corporate Angel Network

Corporate Angel Network’s 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. They offer air travel assistance to any cancer patient and to accredited cancer treatment hospitals. www.corpangelnetwork.org

National Patient Travel Center

The National Patient Travel Center aims to ensure that no financially-needy patient is denied access to medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment for lack of long-distance medical transportation. The National Patient Travel Center does not provide financial assistance by itself, but it does link cancer patients to other organizations in the national charitable medical transportation network. The center prefers contact by email. www.patienttravel.org

Patient Airlift Services

Patient AirLift Services arranges volunteer medical flights and free air transportation for needy individuals throughout the greater Northeast region, from Virginia to Maine, Ohio to Massachusetts. This organization offers free air travel in CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, and VA. http://www.palservices.org/

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (All) to Cervical Cancer

Childhood Leukemia to Gallbladder Cancer

Head Cancer to Lymphoma

Mastoid Process Cancer to Oral Cavity Cancer

Ovarian Cancer to Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Stomach Cancer to Vulvar Cancer