Health Care and Insurance Support Resources
Understanding and choosing the right health insurance can feel overwhelming, especially when managing a chronic condition. Fortunately, there are trusted national and state-based resources that can help you compare coverage options, enroll in plans, resolve billing or coverage disputes and appeal denials, and better understand your rights.
From Marketplace enrollment assistance and Medicare counseling to consumer protection programs and legal or financial navigation services, these organizations provide guidance to help you access the care and medications you need. Whether you’re selecting a new plan, reviewing prescription coverage or addressing an insurance challenge, support is available to help you make informed decisions and advocate for yourself with confidence.
TAF 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. The Assistance Fund currently manages more than 70 disease programs—each of which covers the FDA-approved medications that treat a specific disease.
Website: https://tafcares.org/
Phone Number: 1-855-845-3663
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.
Website: https://www.friendsofman.org/
Phone Number: 303-798-2342
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.
Website: https://www.mygooddays.org/
Phone Number: 877-968-7233
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.
Website: https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/
Phone Number: 1-800-675-8416
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.
Website: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/
The mission of the NAFCs is to ensure that the medically underserved have access to affordable, quality health care.
Website: https://nafcclinics.org/get-care/
Phone Number: 703-647-7427
NeedyMeds is a national nonprofit information resource dedicated to helping people locate assistance programs to help them afford their medications and other health care costs.
Website: https://www.needymeds.org/
Phone Number: 1-800-503-6897
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 do not cover.
Website: https://www.patientadvocate.org/connect-with-services/copay-relief/
Phone Number: 800-532-5274 (Case management services and MedCareLines); 866-512-3861 (Co-Pay Relief Program)
The 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.
Website: https://www.uhccf.org/
A free, confidential service available 24 hours, 7 days a week that provides local referrals for a wide range of needs, including housing, food assistance, health care, financial support, and more.
Website: www.211.org
Phone Number: 211
Other resources available (food, housing and utilities, transportation, mental health, child care, employment, general financial assistance)
Medication-Only Assistance Resources
The programs listed below are designed to help individuals access prescription medications at reduced or no cost. These resources include federal discount programs, pharmaceutical manufacturer patient assistance programs, co-pay support options, and nonprofit medication assistance organizations. Many programs support people who are uninsured, underinsured, or experiencing high out-of-pocket costs. Eligibility criteria vary by program, insurance type, and financial status. Review each listing for specific application requirements and contact information.
The 340b Drug Pricing Program is a federal program that allows certain health care providers to purchase outpatient prescription drugs at a discount, which can help reduce the cost of drugs for patients.
To Find 340b clinics contact the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
Website: www.hrsa.gov/opa
Phone Number: 1-877-464-4772
Acthar Patient Assistance Program is available to patients who are uninsured or underinsured. Patients must have a valid prescription and be a permanent U.S. resident. The Acthar Gel Commercial Co-pay Program is available to eligible patients who are insured but need help affording the co-pay.
Website: https://acthar.com/financial-assistance/
Phone Number: 1-877-503-7746
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.
Website: https://www.benlysta.com/savings-and-support.html
Phone Number: 877-423-6597
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.
Website: https://www.cellcept.com/patient/cost-and-financial-assistance.html
Phone Number: 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)
Genentech, the manufacturer of GAZYVA®, offers several programs to help make its medications more affordable. Depending on your insurance coverage and financial situation, you may qualify for copay assistance or other support services. The Genentech Patient Foundation also provides free Genentech medicines to people who don’t have insurance and meet certain eligibility criteria.
Website: https://www.genentech-access.com/patient/brands/gazyva-immunology/how-we-help-you.html
Phone Number: 866-681-3261
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.
Website: https://www.lupkynis.com/resources
Phone Number: 833-287-4642
Helps connect uninsured and underinsured patients who struggle with affordable access to medicines with prescription assistance programs that offer medicines for free or nearly free.
Website: https://medicineassistancetool.org/
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).
Phone Number: 877-952-1000
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 care partners comprehensive, up-to-date information in an easy-to-use format.
Website: https://www.rxassist.org/
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.
Website: https://www.rxhope.com/
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.
Website: https://www.saphnelo.com/patient/support/savings-support.html
https://www.myaccess360.com/patient/saphnelo-anifrolumab.html
Phone Number: 844-275-2360 (8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, Mon-Fri)
Additional tips for finding medical care and medications:
- Charity Care: Typically offered by hospitals and health care organizations to discount or help cover the costs of visits, treatments, procedures, or services. Contact your local hospital, health care provider, or organization providing your care to see what programs they offer and if you qualify.
- Medicaid and Medicare: Provide assistance for low-income individuals, seniors and those with disabilities. Eligibility varies, so it’s important to check the requirements for each.
- Discount Pharmacies: Some large retail stores with pharmacies carry generic versions of medicines — these are cheaper than name brand medicines but work exactly the same way. Ask your doctor if you can switch to a generic version.
- Discount Card: Consider using a prescription discount card if you do not have insurance such as NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card or others available online. These cards are designed to provide lower medication costs when you pay cash. There’s no cost to use a discount card. You can use them with insurance too, but anything you pay will not count towards your deductible.
Dental Care Assistance Resources
Access to dental care is essential for overall health, but many individuals face financial barriers that make treatment difficult to obtain. The following organizations provide free or low-cost dental services, education, and support for people who are uninsured, underinsured, elderly, medically fragile, or living with disabilities.
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.
Website: https://dentallifeline.org/
Phone Number: 303-534-5360
Dentistry From The Heart (DFTH)
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(tm) videos that promote the practices involved.
Website: http://www.dentistryfromtheheart.org/
Phone Number: 727-849-2002
Diagnostic Testing (Lab Work) Resources
Diagnostic testing such as blood work and other laboratory services plays an important role in monitoring health conditions and guiding treatment decisions. The resources below provide information about laboratory testing services, billing, and financial assistance programs for patients who may need help covering the cost of tests.
Labcorp offers payment options for patients and shows a chart that explains how the company bills your insurance.
Quest offers a patient assistance program with tailored solutions for uninsured or underinsured patients based on individual circumstances.
Website: https://www.questdiagnostics.com/patients/billing-insurance/financial-assistance
Durable Medical Equipment (Wheelchairs and Other Aids) Resources
Durable medical equipment (DME) includes essential items such as wheelchairs, prosthetics, mobility aids, and adaptive devices that help individuals maintain independence and quality of life. The organizations listed below provide donated, refurbished, or low-cost equipment to individuals and families who may not otherwise be able to afford these resources.
The foundation accepts donations of new or used power chairs and scooters, refurbishes them, and provides them free of charge to individuals in need.
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
Website: https://www.directrelief.org/
Refurbishes mobility wheelchairs and manufactures pediatric wheelchairs to distribute to physically challenged people around the world through international sponsors.
Website: https://www.hopehaven.org/
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
Website: http://lifenets.org/ or https://lifenets.org/programs/wheelchairs/
Phone Number: 513-201-8850
Magic Mobility provides assistance with adapted vehicles for families of individuals with disabilities by collecting donated wheelchair-accessible vans and funding conversions for needy families nationwide.
Website: https://magicmobilityvans.org/
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.
Website: https://www.miusa.org/
A nonprofit public charity providing prosthetic limbs to uninsured amputees.
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.
Website: https://tken.org/
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.
Medical Providers Resources
Finding a new doctor can be a lot of effort, and it can be a complicated process. There is no one single recognized center of excellence for the treatment and diagnosis of lupus in the United States today.
The general recommendation is to find a physician who is affiliated with a medical school—a university hospital, for example. They are generally regarded as very good places to go for the diagnosis and treatment of lupus.
Here are some helpful resources to find a doctor near you:
American Heart Association’s tool to find a heart specialist.
Website: www.heart.org
Phone Number: 1-800-242-8721
American Academy of Dermatology’s tool to find a skin specialist.
Website: www.aad.org
Phone Number: 1-888-462-3376
American College of Gastroenterology Find a GI Doctor
American Society of Hematology Find A Hematologist
Website: https://www.hematology.org/education/patients/find-a-hematologist
American Neurological Association Member Directory Search
Website: https://myana.org/member-directory
Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine Find an MFM Search
Website: https://www.smfm.org/find-an-mfm
American College of Rheumatology Provider Directory
Website: https://my.rheumatology.org/rheumatology-provider-directory
Screening and Prevention Resources
Preventive care and routine screenings are key components of managing long-term health and detecting complications early. The following organizations provide guidance on recommended screenings, vaccine considerations, and resources for locating testing facilities and preventive health services.
American College of Rheumatology (ACR)
Phone Number: 404-633-3777
Find lab locations for blood tests and urinalysis.
Website: www.labcorp.com
Phone Number: 1-800-845-6167
Find lab locations for blood tests and urinalysis.
Website: www.questdiagnostics.com
Phone Number: 1-866-697-8378
Still need help finding a health care professional? The Lupus Foundation of America’s Health Education Specialists are available to help you! To talk with a Health Education Specialist today call 1-800-558-0121 or visit lupus.org/ask-an-educator.
Navigating Health Insurance Resources
Understanding health insurance options and resolving coverage issues can be challenging, particularly when managing ongoing medical care. The resources below offer guidance on choosing insurance plans, understanding benefits, appealing coverage decisions, and accessing financial or legal assistance related to health care coverage.
Many States have established CAPs in order to better assist consumers experiencing problems with their health insurance or seeking to learn about health coverage options.
Website: https://www.cms.gov/cciio/resources/consumer-assistance-grants#statelisting
A service that helps people shop for and enroll in health insurance. The federal government operates the Health Insurance Marketplace®, available at HealthCare.gov, for most states. Some states run their own Marketplaces. The Health Insurance Marketplace® (also known as the “Marketplace” or “exchange”) provides health plan shopping and enrollment services through websites, call centers, and in-person help.
Website: www.healthcare.gov
Phone Number: 1-800-318-2596
This guide aims to clarify what health insurance is and how selecting the right plan can support effective lupus management.This guide includes information about health insurance basics, lupus-specific considerations for health insurance, how to advocate for yourself and other ways to pay for health care.
Website: lupus.org/health-insurance-guide
Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage for more than 50 million of America's seniors and those living with chronic diseases like lupus. Part D allows timely, affordable access to lifesaving therapies, and the MAPRx Coalition ensures the program continues to serve those who need it.
Medicare Part D Open Enrollment Guides
Website: www.lupus.org/maprx
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.
Website: http://www.mypatientrights.org/
Phone Number: 916-531-3585
Advocates in the dental industry who help patients access their medical insurance benefits for their dental care.
Website: https://www.mysmileinsured.com/
NAIC provides contact information for insurance departments, information for local insurance agents, and information about filing a complaint.
Website: https://content.naic.org/
The State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) provide local, in-depth, and objective insurance counseling and assistance to Medicare-eligible individuals, their families, and care partners.
Website: https://www.shiphelp.org/
Legal & Financial Navigation Program
Triage Health provides individuals diagnosed with a serious or chronic medical condition, their care partners, and health care professionals with free one-on-one help in the areas of health insurance, disability insurance, employment, finances, medical decision-making, estate planning, and more. They are trained to help you find your way – or navigate – through the legal, financial, and practical barriers that you face as you access care.
Website: https://www.triagehealth.org/legal-and-financial-navigation-program/