Patient Advocate Foundation Unveils Unified Financial Assistance Program

TotalAssist marks a significant expansion of support, building on a collective history that has seen the organizations distribute over $7 billion in aid to 3.8 million patients. The program provides grants for medication copays, deductibles, insurance premiums, and treatment-related administrative charges. By integrating the two organizations, the foundation aims to remove common barriers to care, allowing patients to start and maintain treatment regimens more effectively.

The initiative operates on a 12-month rolling grant cycle, utilizing a research-backed model to determine fund availability. Notably, the program includes 20 health equity funds, which use data from the CDC and the Social Vulnerability Index to target aid toward 226 counties across 36 states facing the highest levels of social and financial vulnerability. Patients are automatically screened for these funds based on their home zip code during the application process.

CEO Kevin L. Hagan emphasized that the program simplifies the patient experience by offering a secure, 24/7 online portal and a guaranteed grant structure. Unlike traditional assistance programs, TotalAssist allows for a six-month lookback period on expenses and provides the flexibility to apply funds across multiple categories, including non-disease support services like genetic testing and transportation. Applications are processed without waitlists, and providers can assist with the diagnosis verification process to reduce the administrative burden on patients.