Financial

November 2023

The PA Fund for Patient Advocacy at the Lupus Research Alliance established the Lupus Emergency Grant Program (LEGP) to help people impacted with lupus to handle financial burdens posed by this debilitating chronic disease.  The PA Fund’s focus is to make a difference in the lives of people with lupus and their families who have limited resources at their disposal to combat their illness. 

The LEGP has helped relieve the immediate financial aid concerns of many people with lupus by providing grants of up to $500 for day-to-day living expenses. Through October 2023, 218 grants have been awarded this year alone at over $103,000. This is almost as much in one year as had been awarded since the program’s inception four years ago.

Since all funds allocated for 2023 have been awarded, the LEGP is suspended as of November 8, 2023, until early 2024.

We apologize for any inconvenience and plan to reopen applications for the Fund early next year. 

Provides financial support for co-payments, deductibles, and premiums to patients who are critically or chronically ill and already have insurance. You must be being treated for a covered illness in the United States and have insurance coverage for prescribed medications. Income and other eligibility requirements apply.
Phone: (855) 845-3663
Website: https://tafcares.org/

Provides assistance to financially and medically qualified patients, including those insured through government programs, for co-payments, co-insurance, and deductibles required by a patient’s insurer for medications. You must be being treated in the United States for a disease that they cover. Income and other eligibility requirements apply.
Phone: (866) 512-3861
Website: www.copays.org

Provides assistance to individuals who cannot afford their copayments, co-insurance, or premiums for treatments. You must be treated for a disease that they cover, in the United States, and have insurance that covers your medications.
Phone: (800) 675-8416
Website: www.healthwellfoundation.org/

Provides assistance to under-insured patients for out-of-pocket expenses for medications. You must have health insurance that covers your medication, the medication must directly treat the disease, and you must be treated in the United States. Income restrictions apply.
Phone: (866) 316-7263
Website: www.panfoundation.org

Provides financial assistance for families with children that have medical needs not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan.
Phone: (855) 698-4223
Website: http://www.uhccf.org/apply/

For assistance with copayments for laboratory testing only. Quest, a service that processes laboratory work, offers payment plans and financial assistance for those that qualify.
Phone: (866) 697-8378
Website: http://www.questdiagnostics.com/home/about/corporate-citizenship/community-giving/assistance.html

Provides housing and homeless services, nutritional meals, educational counseling, and emergency utility assistance. Salvation Army programs and services vary with local needs. For information on specific programs and locations, contact your local Salvation Army Corps Community Center by using the location search.
Website: www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ways-we-help

Assists low income individuals and families with finding and applying for a wide range of government resources and offers free to low cost legal and tax services.
Website: http://singlestopusa.org/

Provides grants to states to provide assistance to needy families to achieve self-sufficiency. Check the website for state contacts.
Website: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/programs/tanf

Offers workplace accommodation ideas for people with lupus.
Phone: (800) 526-7234
Website: https://askjan.org/

There are two kinds of disability insurance awarded through Social Security: Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Eligibility is dependent upon the amount of time worked and how long the medical condition is expected to prevent you from working. The Department of Labor connects people with disabilities to resources such as how to apply for disability benefits, find employment, get health care coverage, pay for housing, and more.
Phone: 1-866-633-7365
Website: https://www.dol.gov/odep/

There are detailed instructions on how to apply for disability benefits, what information and documents you need to apply, and an overview of the process.
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Website: www.ssa.gov/disabilityssi/

By law you have the right to appeal a denial of benefits.
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
Website: http://ssa.gov/disabilityssi/appeal.html

Speak with your rheumatologist or primary care provider for free or low cost programs and services in your area that can assist with general wellness, such as exercise programs. You can also check with your local recreation center, parks department, congregation, or library. Important note: Speak with your doctor before making any changes in your diet, including starting on any new supplement or home remedy, or starting or changing your exercise routine.

For a national directory of organizations that can help with health care, food services, employment and more, call 211 or visit www.211search.org. The service is free, confidential, and available in all languages any time. You can also visit www.benefits.gov/ for an interactive database of government assistance programs online.

Provides a wide range of services from disaster relief, housing, meals, education, and financial counseling. Visit the website to find the local office.
Website: https://catholiccharitiesusa.org/

Offers grants for working individuals or families just above the poverty line that are facing financial hardship. Applicants must be over 18 years of age, a legal resident of the United States or Canada, have at least 1 active bank account or tax return from the last 2 years, not be a homeowner, meet income restrictions, and have computer access.
Phone: (844) 667-3776
Website: https://www.modestneeds.org/

Provides help with arbitration and negotiations related to medical debt or job retention issues related to their illness, and has financial resource directories for uninsured and underinsured patients.
Phone: (800) 532-5274
Website: www.patientadvocate.org/