Financial Assistance Now Available to Medicare Patients through HealthWell Foundation’s Colorectal Carcinoma Fund
New Fund Provides Copayment and Premium Assistance
GERMANTOWN, Md. — August 10, 2017 — The HealthWell Foundation®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, has opened a Colorectal Carcinoma Fund to provide copayment and premium assistance to eligible Medicare patients. Through the fund, HealthWell will provide up to $10,000 in copayment or premium assistance to individuals who have annual household incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, most colorectal cancers develop first as polyps, which are abnormal growths inside the colon or rectum that may later become cancerous if not removed. Colorectal cancer, when discovered early, is highly treatable. Even if it spreads into nearby lymph nodes, surgical treatment followed by chemotherapy is highly effective. In the most difficult cases — when the cancer has spread to the liver, lungs or other sites — chemotherapy treatment, followed by surgery, can help patients live longer, with a higher quality of life. Colorectal cancer affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people 50 years or older. However, incidence in those younger than 50 is on the rise. This disease takes the lives of more than 50,000 people every year.
“We recognize the urgency of access to life-saving treatments for patients living with colorectal cancer,” said Michael Sapienza, CEO of Colon Cancer Alliance. “The need for funding for Medicare patients is a real issue and has never been more apparent. Many patients living with colorectal cancer are faced with a multitude of concerns about their treatment. Financial burdens shouldn’t have to be one of them.”
“Thanks to the continued generosity of our donors, we are now able to expand our oncology portfolio to offer financial relief to colorectal cancer patients,” said Krista Zodet, HealthWell Foundation President. “We are grateful to be able to serve as a critical financial resource for these patients so they can start or continue treatment. Through the fund, it is our hope that we will be able to alleviate some of the financial stress patients and their families face in managing their disease.”
To determine eligibility and apply for financial assistance, visit HealthWell’s Colorectal Carcinoma Fund page. To learn how you can support this or other HealthWell programs, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.
About the HealthWell Foundation
A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net for more than 250,000 underinsured patients in more than 50 disease areas by providing access to life-changing medical treatments they otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly. HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. For more information, visit www.HealthWellFoundation.org.
About the Colon Cancer Alliance
The Colon Cancer Alliance is a national nonprofit committed to ending colon cancer within our lifetime. Working with our nation of passionate advocates, we are empowered to support the needs of patients and survivors, eager to raise awareness of preventative screening, and poised to help fund critical research. We are fiercely determined to end colon cancer once and for all. Learn more at: www.ccalliance.org.
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