Are you living with a chronic illness, like cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia, or neuropathy?  If so, you are not alone.  According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), 60 percent of adults in this country are living with at least one chronic illness. 

Patients with chronic illnesses are often struggling with physical pain, emotional feelings of despair and are stressed over the financial impact of their seemingly hopeless situation.

Regardless of your situation, many resources are available to help. Resources range from financial assistance to a wide variety of support groups both in person and online. 

Here, we explore a variety of resources that may provide you with the relief you need.  Know that you are not alone in your fight for the best life possible.

Chronic Illness Support Groups

Meetup

Find a local community through Meetup. At no charge to their participants, Meetup, hosts nearly 350 chronic illness support groups around the world. Click on any of the links below and it will show the Meetup groups in your area.  You can further narrow your search by clicking on “more local groups ” and isolating the search to be within 25 to 100 miles of your location.

• Health & Wellbeing
• Pain Management
• Spirituality 

Facebook Chronic Illness Support Groups

Joining one or more of these facebook groups will give you the opportunity to openly share and receive feedback from people who may be struggling with the effects of a chronic illness similar to yours.  The information that you share will likely be meaningful and enlightening.

• Neuropathy Support Group 
• Living in Chronic Pain
• Reversing Diabetes Type 2 Support Group

Psychology Today

This resource is helpful if you are looking for referrals to Therapists, Teletherapy, Psychiatrists, Treatment Centers or Support Groups in your area.  Those listed in this link are direct referrals through Psychology Today.  When you click on their link, type in your city or zip code, referrals in your area will populate the screen.  

• Psychology Today Support Group Finder

Chronic Pain Support Groups

The following links are support groups for those in chronic pain.  They are each unique.  You can click on each individual link to see if you are interested in joining any of their groups. 

• Pain Connection
• The Mighty
• myChronicPainTeam
• Chronic Pain Anonymous

Financial Help for Chronic Illness

We suggest that you first check with your insurance and doctors to see if they have financial resources that they can refer you to for assistance.  Even your pharmacist may be able to offer information about local resources to help out with prescription costs.

In addition to those resources, we are providing you with a list of 

Charitable Foundations that may be able to assist you.

The Assistance Fund

The Assistance Fund offers financial assistance on prescription co-pays related to certain covered diseases.  To find out if your disease qualifies for financial assistance through this program, click on the link below.  Review the covered diseases list and see if they are accepting assistance applications. Some disease assistance programs have waitlists or may be temporarily closed. The Assistance Fund website is easy to follow.  We suggest that you start by finding out if your disease is covered and then if you qualify for assistance.

 (855) 845-3663 |  tafcares.org

Good Days

The Good Days Foundation offers a variety of financial assistance including co-pays for treatments, travel to treatments, and in some cases assistance in paying for the patient’s insurance premiums. When you open their link below, we suggest that you click on the patient tab.  Their covered diseases are listed and they indicate which ones are open to accepting financial applications. You will want to review the eligibility requirements before completing your application.  

(877) 968-7233 |  mygooddays.org

The HealthWell Foundation

The HealthWell Foundation offers grants for a rather long list of covered diseases. They offer assistance for the underinsured with prescription co-pays, health insurance premium deductibles, pediatric treatments, and more. When you open their link, we suggest you click on the disease funds tab. Then, scroll down to find their list of covered diseases and those that are open for assistance applications. 

 (800) 675-8416 | healthwellfoundation.org

National Organization for Rare Disorders

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) offers financial assistance to patients with rare disorders or diseases. When you go to their website, we suggest that you click on the Patients and Family tab and then on Patient Assistance Programs.  There you will find a list of covered diseases.  When you click on your specific disease, their assistance programs and contact information will appear.

 (800) 999-6673 | rarediseases.org

Patient Access Network Foundation

The Patient Access Network Foundation (PAN) offers financial assistance to those who qualify for covered illnesses.  If you have a covered disease diagnosis, receive treatment, medication and meet their financial qualifications, you may be a candidate to receive financial help.  When you click onto their link, make sure that you qualify for their program and then fill out their application. 

(866) 316-7263 | panfoundation.org

Patient Advocate Foundation

The Patient Advocate Foundation provides direct payment for co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles for patients who need and qualify for their assistance. Like the other assistance programs, only their covered diseases may qualify you for help.

 (866) 512-3861 |  copays.org

Patient Services, Inc.

Patient Services, Inc. (PSI) offers financial assistance to qualifying covered illness patients. They may subsidize your health insurance premiums, assist with co-pays for prescriptions, treatments and more.  Make sure you check their covered diseases to determine if they are taking financial assistance applications. 

 (800) 366-7741 | patientservicesinc.org