Patient Aid in the US

Let's face it - fighting lymphoma can get kind of pricey. Doctors, tests, even the driving back and forth with gas at $2.50/gallon. Even if you have insurance, costs can add up. The following groups offer help with expenses of one sort or another in the US:



Lymphoma Research Foundation Patient Aid Program - provides grants of up to $500 for quality of life expenses: child care, travel-related costs incurred while obtaining treatment, medical aids and devices, education and support meetings, and cosmetic aids and hygiene products not covered by insurance. Contact (800) 500-9976 or email [email protected].



CancerCare - Financial assistance is available for transportation, homecare and childcare (800) 813-HOPE http://www.cancercare.org/



Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation - Emergency funding and transportation available. (800) 366-2223 http://www.candlelighters.org/



The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Patient Financial Aid program offers financial reimbursement for some medications, transportation and procedures for those in need (800) 955-4572 http://www.leukemia-lymphoma.org/



Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) - PhRMA publishes the Directory of Prescription Drug Patient Assistance Programs listing drug companies offering their prescription products free to physicians whose patients cannot afford them. Patients may call the pharmaceutical companies listed to obtain applications and information in order to speed the process for their physicians. 1100 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005 (800) 762-4636 http://www.phrma.org/



The Bone Marrow Foundation - Patient Aid Program covers the cost of donor searches, compatibility testing, bone marrow procurement, medication, transportation, housing expenses and many other ancillary costs associated with a transplant. (800) 365-1336 http://www.bonemarrow.org/



Department of Veteran Affairs - Eligible veterans and their dependents may receive cancer treatment at a Veterans Administration Medical Center. (877) 222-8783 http://www.va.gov/benefits.htm



Social Security Administration (SSA) - SSA oversees the Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicare programs. Social Security provides a monthly income for eligible elderly and disabled individuals. SSI supplements Social Security payments for individuals who have certain income and resource levels. Medicare is a federal heath insurance program for those who are 65 or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and disabled people under age 65 who have received Social Security payments for at least 24 months. Contact the SSA to get information on eligibility and coverage and to find out how to apply to any of these programs. (800) 772-1213 http://www.ssa.gov/SSA_Home.html (hint: if SSA denies you, you can get a cheap lawyer and appeal and usually win).



Medicaid provides health insurance for elderly, blind ...