Providing Answers, Support and Hope in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia
Financial Assistance Resources
The Lupus Foundation of America knows that it is difficult to live with lupus. The cost of living with this cruel disease can put a strain on your financial resources. Below we have put together a list of assistance programs for health care, transportation, and other needs to aid you in fighting lupus.
General Assistance
211
Every day thousands of people across the U.S. and Canada turn to 211 for information and support – whether financial, domestic, health or disaster related. 211 is a free, confidential referral and information service that connects people from all communities and of all ages to a specialist who will help you find local health and human services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can help find information about shelter and housing options, supplemental food and nutrition programs, and other social service programs.
Prescription assistance programs (PAPs) are created by pharmaceutical companies to provide free or discounted medicines to people who are unable to afford certain medications. Each program has its own eligibility rules and procedures.
Benlysta
- 877-423-6597
- www.benlysta.com/savings-and-support.html
The BENLYSTA Co-pay Program helps eligible approved patients with their out-of-pocket costs for BENLYSTA up to $15,000 for 12 months. Medicare-eligible patients and patients enrolled in government-funded programs are not eligible for the BENLYSTA Co-pay Program. Patients must submit a Service Request Form so their eligibility can be determined.
Cellcept
- 888-754-7651 (Genentech® Access to Care Foundation) (Mon-Fri)
- 833-235-5237 (Co-pay Card Program)8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET, Mon-Fri)
- https://www.cellcept.com/patient/cost-and-financial-assistance.html
Genentech Access to Care Foundation (GATCF), provides free medicine to eligible patients who are uninsured, rendered uninsured by payer denial, or underinsured. To qualify, patients must meet specific criteria. Genentech Access Solutions requires only the Statement of Medical Necessity (SMN) and Patient Notice of Request for Transmission of Health Information (PAN) to initiate services. Only the information requested on these forms is required.
If patients have a kidney transplant, commercial insurance, and have been prescribed brand-name CellCept, they may be eligible to pay as little as $15 per monthly co-pay with the CellCept® Co-pay Card.
Lupkynis
- 833-287-4642
- https://www.lupkynis.com/resources
Aurinia Alliance is a personalized support program from Aurinia, the company that makes LUPKYNIS, designed to help you better understand lupus nephritis, assist you in navigating insurance and LUPKYNIS funding options, and support you to help stay on track during your LUPKYNIS treatment journey. Once you enroll, you'll be connected with a dedicated Nurse Case Manager, who will be your direct contact throughout the duration of your LUPKYNIS treatment.
Myfortic (mycophenolic acid)
- 877-952-1000
- https://www.saveonmyprescription.com/copay.jsp?usertrack.filter_applied=true&NovaId=3831503029504747913
Novartis is committed to helping people learn about their treatment – and helping patients access the medications they need. You can learn useful information and about prescription savings offers for ZORTRESS® (everolimus) Tablets, myfortic® (mycophenolic acid) delayed-release tablets, Neoral® (cyclosporine capsules, USP) MODIFIED, and SANDIMMUNE® (cyclosporine capsules, USP).
Saphnelo
- 844-275-2360 (8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET, Mon-Fri)
- https://www.saphnelo.com/patient/support/savings-support.html
- https://www.myaccess360.com/patient/saphnelo-anifrolumab.html
The AstraZeneca Access 360™ program provides you with personal support to help streamline access and reimbursement for select AstraZeneca medicines. Connect with Patient Access Navigators to get answers to your questions about insurance, affording your SAPHNELO medicine and out-of-pocket costs.
NeedyMeds
- 800-503-6897
- www.needymeds.org
NeedyMeds is a national nonprofit information resource dedicated to helping people locate assistance programs to help them afford their medications and other healthcare costs.
Patient Access Network Foundation (PAN)
- 866-316-7263
- panfoundation.org
The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation is an independent, national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping federally and commercially insured people living with life-threatening, chronic and rare diseases with the out-of-pocket costs for their prescribed medications. Since its founding in 2004, PAN has provided more than 1 million underinsured patients with over $4 billion in financial assistance, through disease-specific programs.
HealthWell Foundation
- 800-675-8416
- www.healthwellfoundation.org
The HealthWell Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to care for America’s underinsured. When health insurance is not enough, HealthWell fills the gap by assisting with copays, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. The foundation provides financial assistance to help with prescription copays, health insurance premiums, deductibles and coinsurance, pediatric treatment costs, and travel costs.
Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)
- 800-532-5274 (Case management services and MedCareLines)
- 866-512-3861 (Co-Pay Relief Program)
- www.patientadvocate.org/connect-with-services/copay-relief
The PAF Co-Pay Relief Program, one of the self-contained divisions of PAF, provides direct financial assistance to insured patients who meet certain qualifications to help them pay for the prescriptions and/or treatments they need. This assistance helps patients afford the out-of-pocket costs for these items that their insurance companies require.
The Assistance Fund
- 855-845-3663
- tafcares.org
The Assistance Fund is an independent charitable patient assistance foundation that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. We currently manage more than 70 disease programs—each of which covers the FDA-approved medications that treat a specific disease.
Good Days
- 877-968-7233
- www.mygooddays.org
Good Days provides financial support by covering prohibitively costly co-pays for those with life-altering conditions, allowing them to receive treatment without destroying their finances. They even offer, in some cases, additional financial assistance for health insurance premiums and treatment-related travel expenses.
RxHope
RxHope helps people obtain critical medications that they would normally have trouble affording. RxHope acts as an advocate in making the patient assistance program journey easier and faster by supplying information and help.
RxAssist
RxAssist is a nationally recognized, web-based medication assistance resource center. Established in 1999 with funding from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, RxAssist gives providers, advocates, consumers and caregivers comprehensive, up-to-date information in an easy to use format.
Medicine Assistance Tool
Helps connect uninsured and underinsured patients who struggle with affordable access to medicines to prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or nearly free.
Friends of Man
- 303-798-2342
- www.friendsofman.org
Friends of Man gives help to people who find themselves in a situation where they have nowhere else to turn. The kind of help given by Friends of Man depends on the need. Because Friends of Man is an all-volunteer organization, the application must be filled out by an agency on behalf of the applicant, such as social workers, patient advocate, counselor or medical professional.
NeedyMeds
- 800-503-6897
- www.needymeds.org
NeedyMeds is a national nonprofit information resource dedicated to helping people locate assistance programs to help them afford their medications and other healthcare costs.
HealthWell Foundation
- 800-675-8416
- www.healthwellfoundation.org
The HealthWell Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to improving access to care for America’s underinsured. When health insurance is not enough, HealthWell fills the gap by assisting with copays, premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. The foundation provides financial assistance to help with prescription copays, health insurance premiums, deductibles and coinsurance, pediatric treatment costs, and travel costs.
The Assistance Fund
- 855-845-3663
- tafcares.org
The Assistance Fund is an independent charitable patient assistance foundation that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. We currently manage more than 70 disease programs—each of which covers the FDA-approved medications that treat a specific disease.
Good Days
- 877-968-7233
- www.mygooddays.org
Good Days provides financial support by covering prohibitively costly co-pays for those with life-altering conditions, allowing them to receive treatment without destroying their finances. They even offer, in some cases, additional financial assistance for health insurance premiums and treatment-related travel expenses.
Friends of Man
- 303-798-2342
- www.friendsofman.org
Friends of Man gives help to people who find themselves in a situation where they have nowhere else to turn. The kind of help given by Friends of Man depends on the need. Because Friends of Man is an all-volunteer organization, the application must be filled out by an agency on behalf of the applicant, such as social workers, patient advocate, counselor or medical professional.
HRSA Health Centers
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the main Federal agency for improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated or medically vulnerable. This tool allows you to search for nearby HRSA facilities up to a 250-mile radius.
National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics
- 703-647-7427
- nafcclinics.org
Free and Charitable Clinics use volunteer staff to provide medical, dental, pharmacy, vision and/or behavioral health services to people without the funds to do so. You can locate a clinic in your area on their website.
Dental Lifeline Network
- 303-534-5360
- dentallifeline.org
Dental Lifeline Network (DLN) provides access to dental care and education for people who cannot afford it, and who have a permanent disability, or who are elderly (age 65 or older), or who are medically fragile.
Dentistry From The Heart
- 727-849-2002
- www.dentistryfromtheheart.org
Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH), based in New Port Richey, Florida, is a worldwide nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free dental care to those in need. Every year, thousands of individual dentists, hygienists, volunteers, and hundreds of practices across the world donate their time and resources to host their own DFTH events. In support of our dental organization's providers, DFTH acts to ensure that those in need are advised of the services available through regional press releases and customized YouTube videos that promote the practices involved.
Advocacy
My Patient Rights
- 916-531-3585
- www.mypatientrights.org
My Patient Rights aids patients who have experienced difficulty affording health care from their health plans. If your health plan has denied any health care services or prescriptions – or if you have experienced any other barriers, My Patient Rights can help resolve these problems.
Online Therapy Directory
- 800-258-9936
- www.onlinetherapy.com
The Online Therapy Directory aids people who need mental health services find teletherapy services online.
Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE)
Quest Diagnostics launched the Quest for Health Equity task force to address social health disparities in underserved communities. The program offers free testing programs for communities in need, and ensures laboratory results are explained and define patients next steps.
Labcorp
Lapcorp offers payment options for patients and shows a chart that explains how the company bills your insurance.
List of Durable Medical Equipment Programs by State
Massachusetts Durable Medical Equipment Resources
Wheelchair Foundation
The Wheelchair Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the goal of providing a free wheelchair to every child, teen, and adult worldwide who needs one but has no means to acquire one.
Alternatives in Motion
Alternatives in Motion is a nonprofit organization that helps provide wheelchairs for people who are uninsured.
American Mobility Outreach
The foundation welcomes donations of new or used power chairs or scooters and refurbishes them to later be given free to individuals in need.
Direct Relief International
Since its inception, Direct Relief has provided appropriate and specifically requested medical resources, including wheelchair donations, to community-based institutions and organizations in over 140 countries including the United States.
Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC)
Providing wheelchairs and other medical disabilities to people in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area with disabilities.
The Kids Equipment Network
- 630-766-0505 ext. 8
- tken.org
Provides physically challenged children and youth with refurbished durable medical and adaptive equipment in circumstances when their families do not have the means to pay for mobility aids.
LifeNets – The Wheelchair Project
- 513-843-7744
- lifenets.org or lifenets.org/programs/wheelchairs
LifeNets matches donated wheelchairs with needy recipients who cannot afford or qualify for wheelchairs in the United States. The organization networks with medical missionary organizations and individuals to access and provide donated wheelchairs
MedShare – Donate Reusable Medical Equipment
MedShare is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the environment and healthcare through the efficient recovery and redistribution of surplus medical supplies and equipment to underserved healthcare facilities in developing countries.
Special Kids Fund
Special Kids Fund is an alliance of schools, hospitals, and social service organizations that provides for the special needs of children with disabilities and at-risk youth. Through the Special Kids Fund Vehicles for the Disabled Program, donated wheelchair vans and vehicles are given to physically disabled persons who are not able to afford them.
Hope Haven International
Refurbished mobility wheelchairs and manufactures pediatric wheelchairs to distribute to physically challenged people around the world through international sponsors.
Mobility International USA
Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is a nonprofit cross-disability organization serving those with cognitive, hearing, learning, mental health, physical, systemic, vision and other disabilities. MIUSA’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development.
Steps of Faith
A nonprofit public charity providing prosthetic limbs to uninsured amputees.
Benefits.gov
The site's core function is the eligibility prescreening questionnaire or "Benefit Finder." Answers to the questionnaire are used to evaluate a person's situation and compare it with eligibility criteria for more than 1,000 federally-funded benefit and assistance programs. The site also features a recommendation engine that customizes the user’s search for benefits based on their location or interest in a category.
Catholic Charities
- 703-549-1390
- www.catholiccharitiesusa.org
Catholic Charities works to prevent homelessness by providing financial assistance and long-term support and strives to resolve issues that may lead to homelessness. Catholic Charities also provides help in the following areas: immigrant and refugee services, integrated health and nutrition, advocacy and social policy initiatives, disaster services and foundational services.
Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
HUD provides information about renting (including assistance programs), local public housing, homeownership, and more.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
LIHEAP.org provided users with information and other resources that assist families with funds to help with energy costs.
National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR)
- 866-674-6327
- liheapch.acf.hhs.gov/referral.htm
The National Energy Assistance Referral hotline is available if you need additional help finding your local energy assistance office. This is a free service.
Community Action Partnership
The Community Action Partnership’s mission is to ensure all causes and conditions of poverty are effectively addressed and to strengthen, promote, represent, and serve the Community Action Network. They have various programs including energy partnerships.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army exists to meet human needs wherever, whenever and however they can help. They provide a variety of programs based on the needs of the community, you can use their website to search for programs in your area.
Healthcare Hospitality Network
- 800-542-9730
- www.hhnetwork.org/about-us
Healthcare Hospitality Network (HHN) provides free or significantly reduced cost lodging to patients and their families while receiving medical care away from their home communities with Healthcare Hospitality Houses. These homes have shared kitchens, common living areas and private bedrooms. The houses help alleviate the financial burden often associated with medical crises and have shown to reduce stress on both the patient and family members.
Air Care Alliance
- info@aircarealliance.org
- www.aircarealliance.org
This site will introduce you to several groups whose volunteers perform public benefit flying for health care.
Mercy Medical Angels
Mercy Medical Angels (MMA) provides information about all forms of charitable, long distance medical transportation and provides referrals to all appropriate sources of help to patients who cannot afford travel for medical care.
Angel Flight
- 918-749-8992
- www.angelflight.com
Angel Flight Oklahoma was created by a group of pilots who believe in the benefit of volunteering. It is a nonprofit charitable organization of pilots, volunteers, and friends. This service is available to individuals and health care organizations. They will arrange transportation of those people who are financially distressed, or who are in a time-critical, non-emergency situation due to their medical condition. Angel Flight Oklahoma primarily serves patients needing transportation to or from the heartland region, including the states of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas.
Patient Access Network Foundation
- 866-316-7263
- www.panfoundation.org/funds/transportation
The transportation program assists patients with funds to access affordable and reliable transportation for their health needs. Services covered include airfare, car rentals, lodging, public transit, and more.
Toys for Tots
The Salvation Army
Catholic Charities
- 703-549-1390 / 800-549-1656
- www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/about-us/contact/
St. Vincent de Paul
There are local St. Vincent de Paul societies, it is recommended to look at the National Society listed as well as search for a local society to the constituent.
United Healthcare Children’s Foundation
The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) offers timely financial support to families so they can focus on what is most important – enhancing the quality of life of their child. UHCCF grants help with medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a family’s commercial health insurance.
The Modest Needs Foundation
Modest Needs offers grants designed to promote the self-sufficiency of individuals and families who, because they are working and live just above the poverty level, are ineligible for most types of conventional social assistance but who, all the same, are living one or two lost paychecks away from the kind of financial catastrophe that eventually leads to homelessness.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides states and territories with flexibility in operating programs designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency. States use TANF to fund monthly cash assistance payments to low-income families with children, as well as a wide range of services.
Find Local Resources
Many of our chapters offer local resources. To find the Lupus Foundation of America chapter nearest to you, see our Get Local page.
If you still need more assistance or non-medical advice, please reach out to our Health Education Specialists.
An overview of co-pay cards and other discount programs to make your lupus medication more affordable.
Social Security Disability pays benefits to people who cannot work due to a medical condition.
Key things you should know about your loved one's insurance coverage.