HomeHealthGenetic and Rare Diseases Information Center Financial Assistance Information

Financial Assistance Information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is composed of U.S. government biomedical research institutions and is not authorized to provide routine medical assistance or treatment funds.

These are some resources, however, that may help in finding information on financial aid for medical treatment. Visit these Web sites frequently for new information as it becomes available. Talk to your state or county health department or social workers at your local hospital for more information on available resources.

This document is divided into five sections, as follows:

	Assistance with Paying for Medical Care and Procedures
	Financial Aid for Medical Treatments
	Assistance with Paying for Medications
	Assistance with Insurance Issues
	Participation in Clinical Trials

Assistance with Paying for Medical Care and Procedures

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) [hhs.gov]
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has information on assistance in paying for medical care for low-income families. Go to "Families & Children."

Contact DHHS directly:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201
Telephone: 202-619-0257
Toll-free: 1-877-696-6775

Government Benefits [govbenefits.gov]
The official government benefits Web site. This is a free, confidential tool that locates government benefits.

Health Resources and Services Administration [mchb.hrsa.gov]
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the DHHS Web site, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB), whose goal is to ensure equal access to quality health care in a supportive, culturally competent family and community setting.

Contact MCHB Directly:

Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)
Parklawn Building
Room 18-05
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
Phone: 301-443-2170
Fax: 301-443-1797
E-mail: ctibbs@hrsa.gov

Families With Children With Special Health Care Needs [mchb.hrsa.gov]
Note: Special interest in children

Top of page

Financial Aid for Medical Treatments

Information on financial aid for medical treatments can also be obtained from the following patient advocacy organizations:

Family Voices [familyvoices.org]
Family Voices offers resources and communication opportunities on the Internet for people with cognitive and other disabilities, for their families, and for those who provide services and support.

Resources state by state [familyvoices.org]
Note: Special interest in children

Your child may be eligible to receive social security. To find out if your child qualifies a publication from the Social Security Administration(SSI) [ssa.gov] outlines who may qualify, and how to get this money. It also provides links to the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in each state.

Top of page

Assistance with Paying for Medications

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America [phrma.org]
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have a HelpingPatients.org directory of patient assistance programs on their Web site. The list can be searched by drug or company name.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America
1100 Fifteenth Street
Washington, D.C. 20005
Phone: 202-835-3400
Fax: 202-835-3414

National Organization for Rare Disorders [rarediseases.org]
The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit, voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. The NORD Web site includes information on medication assistance programs and networking programs, a resource guide and links to other online resources.

Contact NORD directly:

Top of page

Assistance with Insurance Issues

Georgetown University Health Policy Institute [healthinsuranceinfo.net]
The Georgetown University Health Policy Institute has written a consumer guide for getting and keeping health insurance for each state and the District of Columbia. These consumer guides are available on the institute's Web site and are updated periodically as changes in Federal and state policy warrant.

TheDesk.info [thedesk.info]
TheDesk.info is the first online Medicaid reference desk created by advocates and consumers. Medicaid is the largest source of funding for people with disabilities and those who provide their care. Medicaid is often the only source of financial assistance for health care, but it can be very complicated. This site provides an online "road map" to critical consumer information on government-funded health services.

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [cms.hhs.gov]
The Web site from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services may provide information on qualifying for federal or state assistance for medical treatment.

Medicaid Eligibility

To find out if you are eligible to receive Medicaid coverage, contact your state Medicaid office. Contact information for Medicaid offices in each state can be accessed on the State Resources Web page [pmic.carescout-elderanswers.com] from Physicians' Mutual Insurance Company. The Information Center is providing this link for informational purposes only, not as an endorsement of this Insurance Company.

KaiserNetwork.org [kaisernetwork.org]
Links to the Web sites of Medicaid offices in each state can be found on the "Reference Links" Web page of KaiserNetwork.org (Some of these links may no longer work.)

Medicaid Waivers

Medicaid waivers are state-run programs that use federal and state funds to pay for health care for people with certain health conditions. In some states, families can apply for a medicaid waiver that waives the family income and looks only at the disabled person's income. This allows people who would otherwise be ineligible for Medicaid to receive medical care. Most states have some type of Medicaid waiver program. To find out more about Medicaid waiver programs in general, as well as specific state programs, visit:

Family Voices [familyvoices.org]
Medicaid Waivers [geocities.com]

Medicare [medicare.gov]
The official U.S. government Web site for people with Medicare offers information specific to Medicare, including eligibility guidelines and enrollment for Medicare coverage.

Top of page

Participation in Clinical Trials

The National Institutes of Health, through the National Library of Medicine, developed ClinicalTrials.gov to provide patients, family members, and members of the public with current information on clinical research studies. To find clinical trials, click on the link below and type the disease name as your search term. After you click on a study, review its "eligibility" criteria to determine its appropriateness. Use the study's contact information to learn more. Check this site often for regular updates.

If there is a clinical trial for which you might be eligible and if you are interested in enrolling, you can find helpful general information on clinical trials on the Web site of the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) [rarediseases.info.nih.gov], part of the National Institutes of Health of on the National Human Genome Research Institute Web site at: Current NHGRI Clinical Studies.

Resources on many charitable or special-fare flights to research and treatment sites and low-cost hospitality accommodations for outpatients and family members, as well as ambulance services, are also listed on the ORD Web pages [rarediseases.info.nih.gov].

Clinical Center [cc.nih.gov]
The NIH Clinical Center's Patient Recruitment and Public Liaison (PRPL) Office assists patients, their families, and physicians by providing information on participating in research being conducted at the Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, the NIH hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.

Important Disclaimer

The materials provided are for informational or educational purposes only and are not intended as a substitute for professional medical care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This material does not represent an endorsement of any specific tests and products by the National Human Genome Research Institute or the Office of Rare Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. We cannot guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, or usefulness of the opinions, advice, services, or other information provided. Moreover, we strongly recommend that you seek the advice of your health care provider with any questions regarding your medical care.

Top of page

Last Updated: June 17, 2008