Healthcare Cost Assistance
Managing the rising costs of healthcare and prescriptions is a significant challenge for many families. Whether a senior is living on a fixed income or a young adult is navigating insurance for the first time, verified programs exist to help reduce these expenses.
Comprehensive Assistance & Discounts
These services act as search engines for savings, connecting patients to public and private assistance programs.
- NeedyMeds: A dedicated nonprofit providing extensive resources for medication and healthcare costs. They offer immediate-use pharmacy discount cards and maintain a database of disease-specific financial aid and pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs).
- GoodRx: A popular tool that compares prices at over 70,000 pharmacies. It allows users to compare prices between local pharmacies and use coupons to lower costs instantly.
- RxAssist: A comprehensive, searchable directory of pharmaceutical company PAPs. An excellent tool for finding programs specifically tailored to brand-name medications.
- Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT): A search engine that focuses exclusively on helping patients find manufacturer-sponsored assistance programs.
- BenefitsCheckUp(NCOA): A service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA) specifically designed for adults age 55 and older. It helps seniors find programs for medicine, food, utilities, and more.
Direct Financial Assistance & Grants
These foundations provide actual financial grants to help underinsured patients cover co-pays, premiums, and deductibles.
- PAN Foundation & HealthWell Foundation: provide direct financial grants to patients with chronic or rare conditions for out-of-pocket costs that insurance doesn’t cover.
- Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF): Known for its “Co-Pay Relief” program, PAF provides direct financial aid and professional case management to help patients navigate complex insurance and billing issues.
Local Counseling & Support
- SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program): A federally funded statewide program providing free counseling for Medicare beneficiaries. In New Jersey, trained volunteer SHIP counselors help with navigating coverage options, comparing plans, and resolving complex billing problems to ensure beneficiaries can make informed healthcare decisions.
Access Resources / Contacts
Comprehensive Assistance & Discounts
Direct Financial Assistance & Grants
Local Counseling & Support
Other Resources
