Benefits Checkup - A Service of The National Council on Aging
While many older people need help paying for health care, millions of them are eligible for, but not receiving, benefits from existing federal, state, and local programs. On this site, developed and maintained by The National Council on Aging (NCOA), seniors with limited income and resources can search, be pre-screened, and apply for, a host of benefits programs.
The site contains questionnaires that request information such as your age, residency, income, health conditions, what medications you are taking, as well as any special circumstances, for example, whether you are a veteran. Based on your answers, the site recommends which benefits plans you are eligible for, or believes you should compare.
There is adequate on-screen help content that provides background information to help you answer the questions as accurately as possible. The text is large and easy to read, and the layout is clear and easily navigated, making the site extremely accessible. Once your plans are selected, the site also provides you with links to pertinent fact sheets and worksheets.
Co-Pay Assistance Program @ The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Co-Pay Assistance Program provides co-payment assistance toward private health insurance premiums and co-pay obligations and certain Medicare plan premiums and/or co-pay obligations. Co-pay assistance varies according to blood cancer diagnosis, with different amounts for different diseases, such as Hodgkin's, non-Hodgkin's, myeloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome. Some patients can receive up to $5,000 in assistance. The program application requires information to be completed and signed by the patient and the patient's physician. Patients will also need to send documentation verifying household income.
CancerCare Assist can help patients and families who are struggling with cancer-related costs, including those related to medication, transportation, home care, or child care. Trained CancerCare social workers can help patients find financial assistance, and you can find online applications in both English and Spanish for CancerCare's own financial assistance program. The Web site also offers a free download called Financial Help for People with Cancer, which is organized by the type of assistance needed and provides a listing of organizations that provide assistance as well as internet links and telephone contact information, as well as a free resource guide called A Helping Hand that you can search to find valuable national and local resources that provide a variety of helpful services to people with cancer and their loved ones.
Financial Assistance @ Patient Advocate Foundation
The Patient Advocate Foundation's Co-Pay Relief (CPR) Program provides direct co-payment assistance for prescriptions to insured Americans who financially and medically qualify. The Foundation also offers personal services to all patients in the program through its call counselors. These counselors personally guide patients through the simple enrollment process by collecting financial and medical information. Once eligibility has been determined, you will need to complete a more detailed application. Patients who qualify for the program will be assigned their own call counselor who will be available to answer any questions during the process. To see if you qualify for this program, call toll-free 866-512-3861, or submit the short form on the Contact Us page. Information is also available in Spanish.
The United State's federal insurance program and drug plan information's official Web site allows you to compare Medicare Prescription health and drug plans, find doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes in your area, search publications, find out if you are eligible for Medicare and when you can enroll, discover what Medicare covers, and plan for your long-term care needs.
There is also a long-term care planning tool, which, based on the answers to a few questions, helps you determine what long-term care services are available to you, how much you can expect to pay for long-term care, and what financing options are available to support your long-term care needs.
NeedyMeds is a resource clearinghouse for people who need help with the cost of medicine and other healthcare expenses. On this site you can search for assistance programs by disease, and cancer patients are able to find programs that provide assistance targeted specifically to their type of cancer. These assistance programs help pay for medical expenses including: medications, copayments, insurance premiums, and other out-of-pocket healthcare costs. Patients and/or their caregivers can download applications for each of the programs they wish to apply for, and a link to the program's Web site is provided as well.
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance's mission is to increase awareness of patient assistance programs and boost enrollment for those who are eligible for them. The site is organized into sections for patients, caregivers, and prescribers. In the Patients section, you can determine which assistance programs you may be eligible for by answering a series of questions and selecting your medications. You can then download applications to apply for the programs directly from the site.
Partnership for Prescription Assistance serves as a single point of access to hundreds of public and private patient assistance programs, including many offered by private pharmaceutical companies. To access the Partnership for Prescription Assistance by phone, you can call toll-free, 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669). The entire site is available in Spanish by clicking the "Espanol" link at the top of the screen.
Americans with Disabilities Act @ American Cancer Society
This section of the American Cancer Society's Web site offers valuable information regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an act that protects against discrimination when cancer prevents or severely restricts the performance of tasks essential to daily life.
The section clearly describes the scope of the ADA, providing information such as where cancer patients might encounter discrimination, and what is considered a disability. There is also a Questions & Answers section, that addresses qustions such as what you should do if you think you are being discriminated against, based on disability, in either a work situation or outside a job setting. The Additional Resources section provides links for resources such as the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Job Accommodation Network, as well as the ADA's mailing address and toll-free telephone number -- the ADA Information Line.
Insurance Appeals and Employment Discrimination @ Patient Advocate Foundation
The Patient Advocate Foundation's Web site includes Your Guide to the Appeals Process, a guide for patients who are having problems getting their health insurance companies to pay for diagnostic tests, lab work, or treatment. The guide includes sample appeal letters you can personalize to send to your insurance company. Other helpful resources include First My Illness, Now Job Discrimination: Steps to Resolution, a guide designed to empower patients who may be dealing with illness-related job discrimination. The site also has information for patients in need of insurance and debt crisis assistance. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read these publications. If you don't have this software, you can download it free from the Internet.
The American Cancer Society's Web site presents valuable information about managing day-to-day issues related to cancer treatment, including insurance and legal issues. There is a helpful primer -- Medical Insurance and Financial Assistance for the Cancer Patient -- that provides suggestions about obtaining and managing your medical insurance; getting government assistance; understanding life insurance and other medical benefits; and finding financial assistance. In the Financial and Legal Matters section, there is also information about Advance Directives, legal documents that protect your right to refuse or accept medical treatment, even when you are unable to make decisions about your medical care, as well as the Patient's Bill of Rights, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act. You will also find information about home and hospice care, including types of agencies, services, and payment information.
Many cancer patients continue to work during treatment and others return to work soon after treatment ends. Here, working women with cancer can find information and tools to help them manage their cancer and their careers. The site addresses such issues as how to tell your boss; how to balance work and treatment; what to expect from your employer; and your legal rights. Most sections of the site are also available in Spanish, by clicking the "en espanol" link in the upper right corner of the screen. (Much of the information also will be helpful to working men with cancer.) Employers and coworkers also can find information about how to support an employee with cancer, including ways to implement flexible work arrangements. Caregivers can find information about how to approach an employer about taking a medical leave or a leave of absence.
You can download Living and Working with Cancer, a free booklet that contains medical history charts, insurance logs, questions to ask doctors, and tips on combining work and treatment. This booklet is also available in Spanish. Another booklet The Most Important Resources for Working Women with Cancer, also is available for downloading. It lists the best websites, books, and cancer support services recommended by a panel of cancer survivors, doctors, lawyers, and social workers. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download these booklets. If you don't have the program, you can download it free of charge on the Web.
Advocacy and Legal Assistance @ Patient Advocate Foundation
The Patient Advocate Foundation's professional case managers and attorneys specialize in mediation, negotiation, and education on behalf of patients experiencing problems getting access to medical care, job-related issues, denial of income and/or health benefits, and financial problems related to housing, utilities, food, and transportation. In the Personalized Help section, there is an extensive list of FAQ's, which answers questions about how to get case management assistance, financial assistance, and insurance. If you do not find your question answered in this section, there is also a form that you can fill out to request help regarding access to care, job retention, debt crisis, and other such services. You can also contact the Foundation at help@patientadvocate.org or by calling 800-532-5274.
The Look Good...Feel Better program teaches cosmetic and hairstyling tips and techniques to female cancer patients to help restore their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments. The program has a companion Web site that provides online help of the same nature. For men, there is a practical guide to help them deal with some of the side-effects of cancer treatment, including skin changes, hair loss, stress, and other issues.
Look Good...Feel Better programs are free and can be found in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Teen programs are also available in 16 US cities, and an affiliated Teen Web site called 2bMe caters to the special interests of teens with cancers, from skin and hair to fitness and friends. You can find programs in your area using the Program Finder on the Web site, or by calling 1-800-395-LOOK. In addition, you can locate international, independently operated "sister" programs that exist in many foreign countries. The site is also available in Spanish.
Support Groups and Education in Your Community @ American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society's Web site provides a list of Society-sponsored resources and programs throughout the United States. A listing of resources, from programs that provide free wigs to patients who have lost their hair as a side effect of their cancer treatment, to workshops on how to cope, are available by entering your zip code or city and state. Along with these helpful resources, community fundraising events are also listed. The "Local Resources" section lists programs specifically for cancer patients and their families. You will also find a link to "Join the Discussion", which leads you to a virtual community message board, allowing you to exchange questions and stories with other cancer patients online.
The Corporate Angel Network Web site includes information about how to obtain free air transportation using the Corporate Angel Network. Participation in the Corporate Angel Network's program is open to all cancer patients, bone marrow donors, and bone marrow recipients who are 1) traveling to or from an approved cancer center 2) ambulatory and 3) not in need of medical support, such as oxygen or IVs, while traveling. Eligibility is not based on financial need, and patients may travel as often as necessary. However, patients must have back-up travel arrangements because flights are not guaranteed and patients are responsible for ground transportation and housing. Patients can contact the Network by calling 866-328-1313 (toll-free) or by emailing info@corpangelnetwork.org to arrange a flight.
This Web site helps link patients needing long-distance air travel for a medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment to appropriate charitable medical air transportation resources in the United States.
The cost of long-distance air travel should not be a barrier to patients receiving specialized medical care or an evaluation for their condition. The National Patient Travel Center, through its 24-hour Helpline (800-296-1217), links patients with cancer and other medical conditions to the nearest charitable air transportation service that best meets their needs. Patients must be ambulatory and not in need of emergency transport. In most cases, air travel is provided free of charge by corporations that have empty seats on their private jets or by volunteer pilots who use their own aircraft. In some cases, patients will need to demonstrate financial need. In addition, the National Patient Travel Center works with commercial airlines that periodically offer special ticket prices or free tickets to patients who need to travel for medical care but cannot afford to pay the full-ticket price. The Center also has the means to bring ambulatory patients from many overseas locations to the United States for evaluation and treatment.
