HealthWell Foundation Offering Grants to Offset Cost of PH Treatments

The HealthWell Foundation has opened a fund to help people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in the U.S. who are on Medicare with covering their healthcare costs.

The fund will offer awards of up to $10,000 over a one-year grant period, which can be used to offset medication copayments and insurance premiums related to the treatment and management of PH.

To be eligible for assistance, applicants must be Medicare beneficiaries, must be receiving treatment for PH in the U.S., and have an annual household income of no more than 500% of the federal poverty level. 

To learn more about eligibility criteria, treatments covered, and to apply for assistance, go here.

“Prompt, accurate diagnosis and continuous treatment are essential for the pulmonary hypertension community … forgoing treatment is not an option,” Katie Kroner, senior director of advocacy and treatment access at the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, said in a press release.

“Unfortunately, individuals living with PH often face significant financial barriers to care. Charitable assistance organizations like the HealthWell Foundation provide an essential safety net for those whose lives depend on these complex therapies,” Kroner added. 

The HealthWell Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to over 615,000 underinsured patients across more than 80 disease areas, including pulmonary fibrosis and sickle cell disease.

Since it was established in 2003, the foundation has distributed more than $2.1 billion in grants, providing access to essential treatments to those who would not otherwise be able to afford them. 

“For people living with PH, specialty care and having the financial resources to access that care, especially for patients on Medicare, can present overwhelming challenges,” said Krista Zodet, president of the HealthWell Foundation,  noting that any interruption in treatment or going untreated “can result in devastating consequences” for a person.

“We are proud that our dedicated donors recognize this critical need and that, thanks to their generosity, we are able to provide a financial lifeline to Medicare patients living with PH to enable them to access life-changing, potentially lifesaving, medical treatments, without the added burden of figuring out how to pay for them,” Zodet added. 

According to information on foundation’s website, the PH treatments covered by this fund include Adcirca (tadalafil), Adempas (riociguat), Letairis (ambrisentan), and Tracleer (bosentan).