Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is the HealthWell Foundation open?
2. What services does the Foundation provide?
3. Can I receive both premium assistance and copayment assistance?
4. How do I apply?
5. How long does it take to process an application? When will I hear if I have been accepted?
6. What happens if my physician changes my prescription to another product while I am enrolled in the HealthWell Foundation? Will I lose my grant? 
7. Do you cover the entire copayment or just certain treatments?
8. How much financial assistance does the HealthWell Foundation provide?
9. If I am approved, how long will I be enrolled?
10. Do you accept information via fax?
11. How do I know you received my fax?
12. Do I qualify? What are the HealthWell Foundation eligibility criteria?
13. Why do I need to send income information? What is the minimum we can make to be approved? 
14. Do uninsured patients qualify for assistance from the HealthWell Foundation? 
15. Can I get approved over the phone?
16. How do I get reimbursed? What do I submit? Will I receive a check?
17. I received a plastic HealthWell pharmacy card with my enrollment letter. How do I use it?
18. Are approvals retroactive?
19. How do I check the status of my application?
20. How do I check the status of my payment?
21. If funding is limited, how long will it be limited?
22. Can I get a list of all the diseases you cover and the treatments you support?
23. Where does HealthWell get its funding from? Who donates to the HealthWell Foundation? 
24. What happens when my grant runs out, can I reapply?
25. What if the grant I received from the HealthWell Foundation runs out during my enrollment year? Can I receive additional support?
26. Will you have AIDS funding in the future?

When is the HealthWell Foundation open?

The HealthWell Foundation operates from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern Time. We are closed on Federal holidays. We encourage you to leave us a message if you call at another time. We return all messages. Keep in mind that you may apply online and use web site any time day or night.

What services does the Foundation provide?

The Foundation provides copayment and premium payment assistance to eligible individuals. This means that if you've been prescribed a medication, but are unable to afford the copayment required by your insurer, we may be able to help by paying some or all of your copayment. Also, if you are eligible for health insurance, but cannot afford the insurance premium, we may be able to help by paying some or all of your insurance premium. We are currently able to provide assistance to patients undergoing treatment in several disease areas. Please click on this link to see which ones: Diseases.

Can I receive both premium assistance and copayment assistance?

No. You may apply for assistance with either insurance premiums or copayments, not both. If you are unsure which type of assistance is best for you, please call the HealthWell Foundation and we will help you to understand your options.

How do I apply?

The easiest and fastest way to apply is to complete the application online. If you do not have access to a computer, please call us at (800)675-8416 and we will complete the application with you over the phone or send you a paper version. After completing the application, you also must send us Form B, which your physician must complete and sign, and a copy of your most recent federal tax form or other proof of your income. You can mail or fax these materials to us. Once we have received all three pieces - your application, your physician Form B, and your income documentation - we will process your application.

How long does it take to process an application? When will I hear if I have been accepted?

Because the Foundation reviews and considers each application very carefully, it takes about 3 to 7 business days to process a completed application. Once the Foundation has made a decision, we will mail you a letter, so please allow a few extra days for mail delivery time. If the Foundation approves your application, the letter will tell you the amount of your award and will explain how you can begin to receive reimbursement for eligible expenses. The Foundation also will send a copy of this letter to your physician. Before we begin processing your application, we will check to make sure that all of the required information is included. If information is missing, we will send you a letter explaining what is missing and ask you to send us the missing information so that we may begin processing your application. We are only able to process an application once it is complete, including your application, your physician's Form B, and a copy of your most recent tax form or other proof of income.

What happens if my physician changes my prescription to another product while I am enrolled in the HealthWell Foundation? Will I lose my grant?

No. You are free to change the therapy you are using at any time, as long as your physician has prescribed an eligible therapy for the disease area in which you are enrolled. You are free to switch your treatment, physician, or pharmacy at any time and it will not affect your enrollment.

Do you cover the entire copayment or just certain treatments?

The Foundation pays only copayments related to prescription treatments you are taking specifically for the medical condition listed in your application. The Foundation typically does not reimburse for lower cost treatments, such as steroids, pain medication, and generic medicines. Please keep in mind that you are free to change the type of medication you are taking, your physician, your pharmacy, or other provider at any time without affecting your eligibility for assistance.

How much financial assistance does the HealthWell Foundation provide?

The HealthWell Foundation provides full or partial assistance with eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses. The amount of assistance you receive will depend on your income, your insurance coverage, the amount of funding we have available for assistance, and other factors. If the HealthWell Foundation approves your application, you will receive a letter telling you exactly how much assistance you are eligible to receive.

If I am approved, how long will I be enrolled?

Enrollment is for 12 months, starting on the day of your enrollment. Prior to the end of your 12-month enrollment, you will receive materials from HealthWell so that you may apply for re-enrollment if you are interested.

Do you accept information via fax?

Yes. You may fax your application or other information to our toll-free fax number, (800)282-7692 at any time.

How do I know you received my fax?

The Foundation uses an automatic fax confirmation that sends a response to your fax machine to verify that we received your fax. It indicates the date and time we received your fax and the number of pages. To receive this automated confirmation, you may have to program your own fax number into your fax machine. If you do not receive a fax confirmation, or your fax machine doesn't indicate that the fax was successful, you may contact the Foundation at (800)675-8416 and let us know the date and time you sent the fax, and we will confirm whether or not we received it.

Do I qualify? What are the HealthWell Foundation eligibility criteria?

To qualify for assistance, you must meet the Foundation's insurance, income, and medical criteria. If you call us, we can pre-screen you, tell you if you are likely to qualify, and if so send you an application. Or, visit http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/apply.aspx, answer 6 short questions, and immediately learn whether you are likely to qualify. When reviewing applications, we use the following eligibility criteria:

• Household income is below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or somewhat more in cities where the cost of living is higher.
• The patient is being treated for a specific disease or condition for which funding is available 
• Medication is dispensed in the U.S.

Why do I need to send income information? What is the minimum we can make to be approved?

The HealthWell Foundation only is able to assist individuals who make less than a certain income, and we require proof of income to determine whether you are eligible for assistance. Specifically, your household's income must be below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, or somewhat more in cities where the cost of living is higher. For example, a family of 2 can earn a total household income of up to $54,760 (or slightly more in some high cost cities) and qualify for assistance.

Do uninsured patients qualify for assistance from the HealthWell Foundation?

The Foundation assists uninsured patients who need help paying for their insurance premiums. If you are eligible for an insurance plan, but are having trouble affording the premium, the Foundation may be able to help. The Foundation can also help a patient to identify insurance options, especially if the patient or family has recently undergone a significant event, such as the loss of a job or a recent diagnosis of an illness that requires treatment with high cost medications. The HealthWell Foundation cannot assist uninsured patients who need help paying the full cost of their treatment. However, the Foundation can refer patients to other resources that may be helpful, such as drug manufacturers' patient assistance programs and state prescription programs. In particular, the following web site is a good resource for individuals with no insurance: www.helpingpatients.org

Can I get approved over the phone?

Unfortunately, no, we cannot approve applications over the telephone. We can prescreen you and mail you an application, or you can apply on our website at http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/apply.aspx

How do I get reimbursed? What do I submit? Will I receive a check?

If the Foundation approves your application, you will receive Award Redemption Request forms in the mail with your enrollment letter. You may also receive a HealthWell Pharmacy card, depending on the disease fund you are enrolled in. If so, please see the next question. If not, you will need to submit an Award Redemption Request, along with proof of payment, each time you have an out-of-pocket cost for an eligible medication. If you have not yet paid the copayment or premium, please indicate this on the Award Redemption Request form, and we will mail the payment directly to your pharmacy, physician, or insurer. If you have already paid the premium or copayment, the Foundation will send the reimbursement check to you. Please note that you must include proof of payment with all Award Redemption Requests. Proof of payment includes a copy of a canceled check, a credit card receipt or statement, or an itemized receipt from the pharmacy or doctor listing the drug purchased. Many times we are able to coordinate billing with your pharmacy or physician. In these cases, we will send the award payment directly to them after you have received your medication. You may ask your pharmacy to contact us to discuss this arrangement.

I received a plastic HealthWell pharmacy card with my enrollment letter. How do I use it?

Bring the HealthWell pharmacy card with you to the pharmacy when you fill your prescription. The card is similar to an insurance card and your pharmacist should be able to use it to pay your copayment for your treatment. If your pharmacist has questions about how to use the HealthWell card, please ask him or her to call the pharmacist telephone number on the back of the card. If you received a HealthWell card but receive your treatment at your doctor's office or through a mail order pharmacy, you will not need to use the plastic pharmacy card (but save it just in case you need it later). Instead, please give your physician or pharmacist a HealthWell Rebate Form, which you received with your enrollment letter, and ask them to mail it to us with an invoice that shows the cost of your treatment.

Are approvals retroactive?

The Foundation will consider retroactive reimbursement on a case-by-case basis for first time applicants only. The foundation will consider retroactive reimbursement for no more than 90 days prior to the date we approve your application.

How do I check the status of my application?

You can check the status of your application any time day or night by using our telephone menu system at (800)675-8416.

How do I check the status of my payment?

We process payments within 7 to 10 business days of when we receive them. Please allow time for the mail as well. If you have waited longer than this, please call us at (800)675-8416.

If funding is limited, how long will it be limited?

If funding is limited, it means we are still accepting applications, but we cannot say for certain whether or for how long we will be able to accept them. Since we cannot guarantee that we can accept all applicants, we encourage you to apply to other foundations as well. Keep in mind that sometimes funds that are limited reopen, so please check back with us from time to time.

Can I get a list of all the diseases you cover and the treatments you support?

Sure. Click here http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/medications.aspx Keep in mind that the Foundation adds and changes the diseases it supports throughout the year, so check this site regularly for the latest information.

Where does HealthWell get its funding from? Who donates to the HealthWell Foundation?

The HealthWell Foundation^® is a public non-profit charity that relies on donations from individuals and organizations of all sizes. If you are interested in contributing, please go to http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/contribute.aspx to learn about the different ways you can support the HealthWell Foundation.

What happens when my grant runs out, can I reapply?

Yes. All patients are welcome to re-enroll every twelve months in the program as long as the patient still requires assistance and meets the program criteria.

What if the grant I received from the HealthWell Foundation runs out during my enrollment year? Can I receive additional support?

Patients may request an increase in their grant amount as long as they still qualify, there is funding available, and they have spent at least 75 percent of the original grant. However, due to high demand, several of the foundation's funds are capped, and we are unable to provide additional assistance for patients in these funds. Please call the Foundation to see if we are able to increase your grant. If HealthWell cannot provide additional assistance, you may be able to apply to a different foundation for additional help. We are happy to refer you to other foundations and resources.

Will you have AIDS funding in the future?

Unfortunately, we are unable to guarantee what diseases the foundation may support in the future, although we are always working to expand our assistance. Please check our website http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/medications.aspx for a list of diseases that we currently support.