Medical bills · Nationwide
Patient Advocate Foundation TotalAssist
Grants that pay the copays, deductibles, and travel costs that come with a serious diagnosis.
Written and checked by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward · Checked August 25, 2026
What it is typically worth
$500 – $7,500 a year
An estimate for a typical household. Your amount depends on your income, your state, and your situation.
What this program is, in plain English
The Patient Advocate Foundation gives grants to people who have insurance but cannot afford what insurance leaves behind. TotalAssist is its consolidated grant program, bringing roughly 150 separate disease funds together in one place after the PAN Foundation merged into the Patient Advocate Foundation in March 2026. A grant can pay your prescription copays, your insurance deductible, your health insurance premium, or the travel and lodging you need to get to treatment. Funds open and close by disease as money becomes available, so if your condition is closed today, set an alert and check again.
What you actually get
Grant money paid toward copays, coinsurance, deductibles, insurance premiums, or transportation and lodging for treatment.
Who qualifies
- Income limit: Not yet verified — call to confirm
- No asset test.
- Most funds require a confirmed diagnosis, active insurance covering the treatment, US residency, and household income up to a fund-specific multiple of the federal poverty level, typically 400% to 500%.
What to have ready
- Proof of diagnosis
- Insurance card
- Proof of household income
- Prescription or treatment records
How to apply
This program is run by Patient Advocate Foundation. Most decisions take Often a decision the same day the application is completed while a fund is open.
Timing matters
We are not a government agency. These links go straight to the agency that runs the program. Applying is always free.
Every program on this site is free to apply for. Anyone who asks you to pay to apply, or to “unlock” a government benefit, is a scam — hang up and call Senior Medicare Patrol or 211.
Report something wrong on this page
Sources
- Program page — patientadvocate.org
- Patient Advocate Foundation — patientadvocate.org
- Legal authority: Private 501(c)(3) charitable assistance; operates under OIG Advisory Opinions governing independent charity patient assistance programs
Checked August 25, 2026 by Jason Burns (http fetch + browser + content check 2026-08-25). Licensed under the Citation License 1.0.
Related programs
- HealthWell Foundation Copay AssistancePays prescription copays and insurance premiums for people with a specific diagnosis.
- Good Days Copay and Travel AssistanceCopay help and paid travel to treatment for people with a chronic or life-altering illness.
- Hospital Charity Care (Dollar For)Nonprofit hospitals are required by law to wipe out bills for people who cannot pay. Dollar For helps you apply, free.
Not sure if this one is for you?
The free screener checks you against every program at once. It takes about two minutes and never asks for your name or phone number.
Start the free screener