Financial Resources
Colorectal cancer treatment can get expensive. Use these resources for insurance and financial assistance programs to help battle the financial front of cancer.
Financial Assistance Programs
Many different charities and organizations offer Financial Assistance Programs dedicated to providing stipends to try to cover some of the costs associated with colorectal cancer. Unfortunately, these programs are difficult to come by and often are a shot in the dark, as many programs have a very low rate of approval since there are many people applying for them. Regardless, these programs still exist, and applying for these Financial Assistance Programs could help to benefit your pocket in your treatment plan. These programs are generally not made for covering the cost of treatment, but with some of the costs of daily life which are often difficult to keep up with for cancer patients.
There are a great number different programs, some of which tailor to certain demographics, which you may fall under and thus be more likely to receive assistance. A list of the best Financial Assistance Programs are listed below:
Blue Hope
Treatment Awards
Sponsored by the Colon Cancer Alliance, the Blue Hope Treatment Awards provides a stipend to help with daily expenses that add to the burden during treatment, such as household bills, childcare, transportation costs, or food.
Who is Eligible?
All Colon Cancer Patients
CancerCare Touching Hearts Program
Stipeend which offers limited financial assistance for cancer-related costs such as transportation and child care, and our oncology social workers can help you find resources.
Who is Eligible?
Women with a cancer diagnosis residing in the United States meeting certain financial eligibility requirements.
Partners in Care
Partners in Care provides patients financial assistance for incidental expenses related to cancer treatments. This allows the patient to put their focus where it belongs – on beating the disease.
Who is Eligible?
Newly diagnosed cancer patients (within 6 months of diagnosis).
Air Charity Network
Charity dedicated to assisting patients in long-distance transportation to medical appointments by offering free private flights coordinated by volunteer pilots.
Who is Eligible?
Must have a compelling reason for a flight (live in rural area, no transportation, long distance to appointment, etc.
Catholic Charities
The Catholic Charities network provides service to people in need – no matter their religion or nationality. If you need help finding housing, paying your rent, recovering from a natural disaster or other event, or keeping food on the table for your family, one of the167 local agencies may be able to help.
Who is Eligible?
Anyone, regardless of religion or nationality, in need of assistance.
Manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs
Many drug manufacturers offer patient assistance programs where they offer discounts on chemotherapies and other medications for treatment. As these prescription medications are generally very pricey, these programs often take a large chunk of the cost down. Each medication has a different program, so we have listed all approved brand-name colorectal cancer medications and their respective patient assistance programs, if applicable.
If you are insured, these programs generally help with copay payment options and other forms of financial assistance. To enroll in these programs, call the associated hotline and ask for information about their Patient Assistance Programs, or visit their website.
-
Alymsys (Bevacizumab): (866) 316-7263
-
Avastin (Bevacizumab): (866) 4-ACCESS
-
Camptosar (Irinotecan): website
-
Cyramza (Ramucirumab): 1-866-472-8663
-
Eloxatin (Oxaliplatin): (800) 996-6626
-
Erbitux (Cetuximab): website
-
Keytruda (Pembrolizumab): (855) 257-3932
-
Lonsurf (Trifluridine and Tipiracil Hydrochloride): 1-844-TAIHO-4U
-
Mvasi (Bevacizumab): 1-888-4ASSIST
-
Opdivo (Nivolumab): 1-800-861-0048
-
Stivarga (Regorafenib): website
-
Vectibix (Panitumumab): Uninsured (888) 762-6436, insured (800) 272-9376
-
Xeloda (Capecitabine): call (800) 433-6676
-
Yervoy (Ipilimumab): 1-800-861-0048
-
Zaltrap (Ziv-Aflibercept): 866-316-7263
-
Zirabev (Bevacizumab): 1-877-744-5675
For more information about any of these programs, or if you'd like some assistance with applying for any of these programs, email us.
More Financial Resources
Besides financial assistance programs from charities and patient assistance programs, there are many more financial resources that are beneficial to utilize to help on the financial front of cancer treatment. Some of these are listed below, with additional descriptions of the services they offer. We realize this can be overwhelming --- there are a lot of terms you may not understand and a lot of specific programs which you may have no clue about. If at any point you'd like to talk this over with anyone, please call us at (352) 503-8777 and we'd be happy to help you.
-
Triage Cancer's Toolkit for Navigating Finances After Cancer: provides a tool designed to help guide you through some key topics that may impact your financial situation.
-
GiveForward: crowdfunding website where you can create a fund and raise donations for treatment.
-
American Cancer Society's Programs and Resources to Help With Cancer-related Expenses: provides additional financial resources for specific circumstances.
-
OncoLink's Crowdfunding: Proceed with Caution: tips for crowdfunding to raise money for colon cancer treatment.
-
Intellisphere's Support and Assistance Guide for Cancer Patients: provides an amazing pdf with a countless number of cancer financial resources.
-
Moffitt's Financial Assistance Program: dedicated to providing financial assistance for treatment to patients in need.
-
CancerCare's Insurance Resource Information: offers information about insurances and how to best use yours to aid your colon cancer treatment.