CancerDrs

Paying for care

Financial assistance for cancer patients: where to find help

Manufacturer patient-assistance programs, disease foundations, Medicare, and nonprofits that pay for cancer treatment. Concrete places to apply, eligibility rules, and how to start.

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Cancer treatment is expensive even with insurance. The median cost for a year of cancer care runs into six figures, and specialty drugs alone can exceed $100,000 per year. This guide lists the programs that pay a portion of those costs: manufacturer patient-assistance programs, disease foundations, federal programs, and practical services like transportation.

Start here: your cancer center’s financial counselor

Every hospital with an accredited cancer program has a financial counselor or an oncology social worker on staff. Their job is to help patients apply for the programs listed in this guide. Ask to meet one on day one of treatment. They maintain a live picture of which funds have open enrollment this week, which a web page cannot keep current.

If your center does not have one, call the Patient Advocate Foundation at 866-512-3861. They assign a case manager at no cost.

Manufacturer patient-assistance programs

If you are prescribed a brand-name cancer drug, the manufacturer has a patient-assistance program. These programs provide the drug at no cost to uninsured patients who meet income criteria, and copay help to commercially insured patients. Each of the drug cost pages links to the program covering that drug. The major programs:

ManufacturerProgramCovers drugs
MerckMerck Access ProgramKeytruda
Bristol Myers SquibbBMS Access SupportOpdivo, Yervoy
PfizerPfizer Oncology TogetherIbrance, Xtandi
AstraZenecaAccess 360Tagrisso, Lynparza, Enhertu
GenentechPatient FoundationHerceptin, Perjeta, Kadcyla, Avastin, Tecentriq

For drugs not in the table, search NeedyMeds or RxAssist. Every FDA-approved oncology drug has a program listed in one of the two.

Eligibility typically: US resident, income below 400-500% of federal poverty level (≈$60,000 single / $125,000 family of four), insurance status matters (uninsured get free product; commercial insured get copay help; Medicare beneficiaries usually cannot get commercial copay assistance because of federal anti-kickback rules, but can qualify for the manufacturer’s PAP for free drug if meeting income criteria).

Disease foundation copay programs

These are nonprofits that pay your insurance copay or coinsurance for cancer medications. They have disease-specific funds that open and close as money is available.

HealthWell Foundation

healthwellfoundation.org/disease-funds. Disease funds for more than 20 cancer types. Also runs a Cancer Related Behavioral Health Fund and a Cancer Home Care Services Fund. Check fund status before applying, since some funds are closed at any given time.

Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation

panfoundation.org. 20+ cancer disease funds. Merging with Patient Advocate Foundation March 2026; unified program “TotalAssist” launches July 1, 2026. Current funds still accepting applications; watch for the transition.

Patient Advocate Foundation Co-Pay Relief

copays.org. Direct copay assistance via disease-specific funds. Case managers available at 866-512-3861. Also merging into TotalAssist.

CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation

cancercare.org/copayfoundation. Chemotherapy and targeted-therapy copay help. Social workers at 800-813-4673 can also help with transportation, home care, child care costs.

Blood Cancer United (formerly LLS)

lls.org/support-resources/financial-support/co-pay-assistance-program. Covers blood cancers: leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Fund availability is seasonal, and some funds empty and reopen during the year. The organization has rebranded to Blood Cancer United; existing URLs still resolve.

Good Days

mygooddays.org. Copay and premium assistance for chronic diseases including multiple cancer types. Fund availability varies.

Disease-specific foundations (pick one for your cancer)

If you have a specific cancer type, these foundations fund patient services for that disease alone:

For your cancer, search “[cancer name] foundation” and you’ll find the right nonprofit.

Federal and state programs

Medicare

Part B covers outpatient infusion drugs such as Keytruda, Opdivo, and Herceptin at Average Sales Price plus 6 percent. Part D covers oral drugs such as Ibrance, Verzenio, and Xtandi, and your prescription plan’s formulary matters significantly for these drugs. Lower-income beneficiaries can apply for the Extra Help program, which caps Part D drug copays at a few dollars per prescription. Apply via SSA.gov. Medicare Advantage plans cap total annual in-network out-of-pocket at $8,850 for 2024.

Medicaid

Covers cancer treatment for eligible low-income patients. Eligibility rules and income limits vary by state. Apply at HealthCare.gov or through your state Medicaid office. Do not assume you are ineligible without checking; income limits in many states are higher than people expect.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and SSI

Cancer patients with certain diagnoses qualify for Compassionate Allowance, an expedited disability determination process. See the SSA Compassionate Allowances list for covered conditions.

State pharmaceutical assistance programs

Many states have drug-assistance programs for residents with serious illnesses. Search “[your state] pharmaceutical assistance program.”

Transportation and lodging

Treatment often requires travel. These cover it:

Tactical playbook

  1. Start with your financial counselor at the cancer center.
  2. Apply for every manufacturer PAP that covers a drug you’re prescribed. See your drug’s cost page for the program link.
  3. Apply to multiple disease-foundation funds. Funds can be used in combination in many cases.
  4. Check fund status weekly. Funds close and reopen as funding becomes available. Get on waiting lists where offered.
  5. Call PAF or CancerCare for case management. These services are free and assist with the application process.
  6. Appeal insurance denials. Under the ACA, insurance must cover routine costs for qualifying clinical trials. Most denials that are appealed are overturned.

What to watch out for

  • Medicare and commercial copay assistance don’t mix: federal anti-kickback rules mean Medicare patients cannot usually use manufacturer copay cards. They can still apply to the manufacturer’s patient assistance program for free drug if income-eligible.
  • “Charity care” at hospitals is underclaimed: every nonprofit hospital is legally required to offer financial assistance. Ask. Many write off all or part of your bill if you apply.
  • Prior authorization denials: if your insurance denies a drug, appeal with supporting literature. Most denials are overturned on appeal.
  • Enrollment periods open and close: apply when a fund opens. Bookmark the program pages and check regularly.

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Sources

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