How to get Government financial help for cancer patients – Coping with cancer diagnosis may require time or can be an ongoing process. Bills still need to be paid in the meantime and if you’re navigating financial hardship while being diagnosed with cancer you are not alone.
Fortunately, there are government agencies, organizations and charities that provide free services to help people pay their medical bills, utility bills, travel or home energy expenses, get healthy meals or home heating services, access gas cards and so on. These organizations provide services for people with particular types of cancer for instance colon cancer, leukoma and breast cancer.
Highlights of this Post
What Are The Eligibility Criteria And Documents Required To Receive Government Financial Assistance For People With Cancer?
Financial assistance programs for people with cancer backed by government and nonprofit organizations require patients to fulfill some eligibility criteria and submit relevant documents to demonstrate their eligibility.
Following are the general requirements that cancer patients have to fulfill
- Be a citizen of the United States, a legal permanent resident or an eligible non-citizen
- Meet the income criteria of the program. Generally, candidates are required to have income less than 300% to 500% of the federal poverty level to receive assistance.
- Be in active treatment
- Meet the age, disability or medical condition guidelines set by the program.
- Demonstrate financial hardship
- Have a Social Security card.
Following is the list of documents that are required to submit to the grant-giving authority to qualify for assistance.
- State government-issued picture ID, passport, driver’s license
- A signed or dated letter from your employer to give proof of your leave status or current employment
- Medical information form as well as contact details for your medical treatment team
- Copies of bills that you need assistance with
- A signed and dated letter to verify cancer diagnosis and treatment from a licensed social worker, oncologist, patient navigator and nurse navigator
- Financial disclosure form and federal tax return.
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What Are The Different Federal And State Resources That Assist People With Cancer?
People with cancer navigate a lot of financial hardship due to the expenses related to the cost of care and treatment of cancer. They are also required to pay for lodging, transportation, food, housing and more.
Apart from this, the day-to-day expenses such as mortgage or rent, food, childcare or car payments increase their burden. Following are the programs and resources that can help people with cancer to reduce their burden to some extent.
Medicaid
The jointly federal or state-run health insurance program known as Medicaid assists low-income families and individuals who need financial assistance to meet their medical expenses. There are a lot of states that offer home care services to families who receive federal income assistance for instance Social Security income.
Medicaid covers part-time nursing, medical supplies or equipment and home care aid services. You can contact your state social service agency, state health department, local state welfare office or state Medicaid office to apply for the program.
TRICARE
TRICARE is the Department of Defense health care program. If you have TRICARE coverage, you may be reimbursed for medical costs related to participation in studies sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for the prevention and treatment of cancer. For more details, see the Cancer Clinical Trials section Exit notification on the TRICARE website.
Veterans Affairs
Eligible veterans can participate in NCI-sponsored clinical trials at Veterans Administration Medical Centers throughout the country through the Department of Veterans Affairs. All phases and types of NCI-sponsored studies are included.
MediCare
If you have Medicare, you may be reimbursed for some costs related to taking part in studies of new ways to diagnose or treat cancer. You can apply for Medicare from http://www.medicare.gov/ or you can make a call at 1-800-633-4227.
Department of Health & Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services helps people with medicine, health and socially. The organization is working to assure the good health of Americans by offering various programs and assistance. You can apply for Department of Health & human services (HHS) Programs for cancer patients.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
LIHEAP funds are transferred to the state, county, and local agencies in order to assist low-income families with heating and cooling costs as well as home weatherization. For more information, please visit our article on how to pay for electricity in the United States. Also visit the following link: www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/liheap
Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Program
The Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Program is for people who belong to the low-income category and helps them to cover their monthly payments for food, housing, clothing, transportation, phone, utilities, and medical supplies that are not covered by the Medicaid program.
The program also offers job training and employment services for people enrolled in the welfare programs. Cancer patients who need financial assistance can apply for the program.
Supplemental Security Income
A government agency known as the Social Security Administration oversees the Supplemental Security Income and offers monthly income for eligible disabled and elderly people.
Cancer-affected individuals must meet the eligibility criteria of the program to get income support. The program assists cancer-affected individuals with monthly cash payments so that they can cover their basic needs like food, clothing or transportation, rent and l utilities.
Social Security Disability Insurance SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance is a federally funded program that provides disability benefits to low-income individuals including cancer-affected individuals who are not working. Around 31% of cancer-affected individuals have relied on Social Security disability insurance benefits in 2021 to get support for their treatment.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
There are government assistance programs that help with free or low-cost food assistance programs for low-income families and cancer patients can also avail of the programs to reduce their food costs.
Formerly known as the food stamp program, SNAP is one of the largest government programs that enable people to purchase food and groceries from participating retail stores with the help of an electronic benefits transfer card.
Affordable Care Act ACA Marketplace
The ACA has established a health insurance marketplace that assists families and individuals to purchase private health insurance plans in case they fail to qualify for the federally funded Health Insurance Program.
Based on your household income you can qualify for subsidies that result in low-cost insurance coverage. Special enrollment periods are accessible for candidates who are going through life-changing events or consequences like cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Federal Energy Assistance Programs
The two federal energy assistance programs known as the Low Income Community Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program are designed for needy residents of America including victims of cancer who are unable to pay their utility bills or make necessary repairs in their homes. The program assist financially challenged people by making their property energy efficient and lowering their utility bills.
Federal HUD Housing Assistance Programs
There are a lot of housing assistance programs designed by HUD for low-income families and cancer-affected individuals can participate in the programs to mitigate their housing burden. Cancer patients navigate housing-associated financial challenges during their treatment process.
Programs such as the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, Public Housing Program, Home Investment Partnership Program, and Section 811 Supportive Housing For Persons With Disabilities help them to cover their rental and housing costs.
Hill Burton
Cancer-affected individuals can get free or reduced-cost care through the Hill Burton free and reduced-cost healthcare program. You need to apply at the business officer admission office at an obligated facility and on approval get help with reduced or free cost care.
This program requires healthcare facilities that receive construction funds from the U.S. federal government to provide free or discounted medical services to low-income individuals who are unable to pay for their care.
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Non Profit Organizations That Help People With Cancer With Financial Assistance
AvonCares
AvonCares helps women who are suffering from cancer. They provide their help to all those women who are financially weak and are suffering from breast cancer or cervical cancer.
Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition
The Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition is the organization that helps people to get the information about various organizations that stand for helping the people and also provide them financial help who are in need. You can visit the website link www.cancerfac.org and get all the detailed information.
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
This civil society assists people who are suffering from blood cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma. They offer assistance through their official website www.lls.org. One can also make contact with them through a phone call on the number (800)955-4572 to get financial assistance.
Patient Advocate Foundation
The Patient Advocate Foundation helps people with a wide range of services. They provide their services to those people who are suffering from serious or chronic health diseases. The website of this foundation links those who are interested in different sources of financial aid.
CancerCare
Limited financial support is provided to cancer patients to offset costs such as transportation and childcare in the United States. There are support groups, counseling and a lot of educational resources for cancer-diagnosed patients.
They provide a list of assistance programs like government benefits for cancer patients, nonprofit programs for copay relief, pharmaceutical patient assistance and so on. For those with cats or dogs, the PaW program by Cancer Care Pet Assistance and Wellness Program provides financial support for pet sitting, pet food, veterinarian expenses, medicines and many more.
Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation
The Candle Lighters Childhood Cancer Foundation is a popular nonprofit organization that offers peer support, information and advocacy to a network of local support groups and publications. They maintain a list of institutions or organizations that assist cancer victim patients.
Cancer For College
Founded in 1993 the Cancer for College offers educational scholarships to victims of cancer. There is an easy and fast scholarship application available on its official website. Individuals irrespective of their cancer type can avail of assistance from this organization.
Family Reach
The Family Reach organization has been assisting families dealing with cancer and enabling them to overcome economic barriers for more than 25 years.
The organization assists cancer patients as well as their families with groceries, utility bills, cost of cancer, housing payments and so on. The financial assistance program by the organization is for cancer patients, their families and their caregivers.
The Pink Fund
The organization Pink Fund assists breast cancer patients with the cost of living expenses and helps them to curtail the treatment costs.
The objective of the organization is to assist breast cancer patients in focusing on treatment and healing, returning to the workplace and raising their families.
Cleaning For A Reason
Cleaning For A Reason is an organization that connects cancer-affected individuals or families with qualified local home cleaning services. Anyone getting cancer treatment, surgical recovery or hospice is eligible to receive a minimum of two free cleanings over two months.
Pinky Swear Foundation
Children who are 21 years old or above and are living with cancer can access financial assistance through the Pinky Swear Foundation in Minnesota. The organization provides several sources such as financial support, rent and mortgage assistance, transportation and gas card payments, grocery cards etc.
Cancer Support Community
They provide a plethora of community-focused supportive services. Cancer Support Community offers a resource list that you can filter to get financial assistance or help with any other topics.
Angel Foundation
The organization Angel Foundation provides emergency grants as well as financial management assistance for families affected by cancer in the Twin Cities metro area. The foundation offers programs as well as guiding resources for cancer-affected families.
Cancer Legal Care
Confidential and free legal care assistance for low-income people living with cancer is provided through the organization Cancer Legal Care. They handle a lot of issues related to disability, employment, finances and insurance. If you need help with legal matters you can contact the organization.
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Help With Food, Rent And Housing Needs
People suffering from cancer need to travel far from their homes for the purpose of the treatment. You can contact the local social worker, or a patient navigator to know more about how to avail yourself of low-cost or completely free housing near a clinic or hospital.
Healthcare Hospitality Network
They are a group of 200 nonprofit organizations available throughout the United States of America that offer low-cost or free lodging to families undergoing cancer or medical treatment far from their homes.
Extended Stay America
The organization Extended Stay America has collaborated with the American Cancer Society to provide free or discounted rooms for individuals who are going far away from their homes for cancer treatment.
The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge
The program provides families with a completely free place to stay when they have to be away from their homes for cancer treatment. You can visit the official website of the organization to find a Hope Lodge location near your cancer treatment center.
Meals on Wheels
The Meals on Wheels program is designed for homebound, elderly or disabled individuals. The volunteers of the program deliver ready-to-eat meals to your home if you’re navigating food insecurity. Cancer patients can contact Meals on Wheels by dialing 888-998-6325 or visiting their official website.
The PinkAid
The PinkAid Pink Purse Grant Program offers emergency financial support worth $500 to breast cancer-affected patients so that they can cover their active treatment costs.
No matter whether you are looking for food or utility bills, phone bills, cable bills, treatment costs, transportation or car payments this program will help you cover your basic needs provided you have income less than 300% of the federal poverty level.
Jill’s Wish Foundation Inc
Jill’s Wish Foundation Inc. offers grants up to $1,500 to help families cover the costs of housing and other non-medical expenses. For more information, visit www.jillswish.org
Ronald McDonald House Charities
Ronald McDonald House Charities is a specialist in helping children with serious medical conditions or cancer. Families are provided with food and accommodation while they travel to seek treatment.
Joe’s House
Joe’s House is a nationwide network that provides information about various cancer treatment centers across the country as well as accommodation that can accommodate cancer patients and their families at no or low cost. You can find more information at www.joeshouse.org.
Travel Assistance For Cancer Patients
Patient Travel
Patient Travel is a non-profit organization that assists cancer patients in reaching their treatment centers. They also help organize land transport by providing cards for the payment of gasoline and bus or train tickets.
Air Care Alliance
Air Care Alliance provides an exit window to those who require it to fly to the clinics. This assistance is available not only to patients but also to their family members, social workers, hospital staff and other involved parties. Visit for more information www.aircarealliance.org.
Corporate Angel Network
This non-profit organization places patients with cancer who have to travel for treatment. You must meet the following requirements to be eligible: You can be a patient, a bone marrow donor, recipient, or stem cell recipient. Visit their website for more information: www.corpangelnetwork.org.
Air Charity Network
Air Charity Network is a charity that partners with volunteer pilots to transport patients across the country and to specialized treatment centers. For more information, please visit www.aircharitynetwork.org
Angel Airlines Samaritans
Angel Airlines Samaritans has partnered up with many commercial airlines to transport patients suffering from cancer at minimal or no cost. Patients and their families are able to take multiple trips to receive medical evaluations, a diagnosis or treatment
International organizations that help cancer patients financially (Additional Sources)
Many organizations offer low-cost or free specialized assistance to patients with cancer. There are many charities that offer a variety of services. They offer counseling and referrals. They can help pay bills in many cases, especially if the patient or their family is unable to work or cannot do it full-time.
American Cancer Society
This foundation was founded in 1913, when cancer diagnosis was almost a death sentence. It has played an important role in making this a treatable disease. This institution provides a wealth of information about prevention, diagnosis, treatment, patient support, and cures. For more information, please visit www.cancer.org
American Life Fund
This Fund helps patients with late-stage cancer obtain the cash they need to buy or pay for life insurance policies. Although it is not a charity organization, the company has a long history. (www.american life fund.com)
Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition
Through its 14 member organizations, the CFAC offers financial counseling and assistance to patients with cancer. This institution offers information about its partner organizations, such as CancerCare. Visit their website www.cancerfac.org for more information.
United Way
The United Way is a charity that supports community organizations that help those most in greatest need. It has a network of over 1,200 offices across the country. Find out more about the United Way services in your area by visiting their online directory www.unitedway.org/finding-your-united way
Conclusion
The level of devastation for cancer-affected individuals is boundless. The disease not only threatens life and terrifies families but also drains their financial resources and savings. Fortunately, a wide assortment of government organizations and nonprofit organizations assist cancer victims including their families with supportive services and programs so that they can cope with the enormous emotional and financial strains.
Are you interested in learning more about Federal Government Housing Grants For Low Income Families that can help you financially? Visit our website to check out the rest of our resources today at Get Government Grants.