 TITLE: How to Get Help Paying Medical Bills CONTENT: Search for Financial Assistance and Charity Programs\n----------------------------------------------------\nYou may qualify for financial assistance from a variety of different programs, including government and nonprofit organizations. Availability and eligibility can vary widely depending on where you live and your condition, but the programs generally focus on helping low- to moderate-income households. Some examples of providers and programs include:\n*   **Medicaid**: Jointly funded by federal and state governments, Medicaid coverage is available to low-income adults, children, pregnant women, people over 65 years old and people with disabilities. If you qualify, you may be able to receive free or low-cost medical benefits. Parents may also be able to apply for the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides medical and dental coverage for uninsured children up to 19 years of age.\n*   **Pharmaceutical companies**: Some companies that create and sell prescription drugs and medical supplies have patient assistance programs (PAPs) that may offer you free or low-cost medications. The Medicare website has a search tool that you can use to find PAPs using a prescribed drug's name.\n*   **Health care providers**: Some hospitals, clinics and health care providers offer reduced or free care to eligible patients. You may have already come across this if you tried to negotiate a medical bill.\n*   **CancerCare**: CancerCare has a copayment assistance foundation that can help with expenses related to specific cancer diagnoses.\n*   **HealthWell Foundation**: The HealthWell Foundation runs several disease funds that may help with premiums and copays. You can check the [current open funds]([]=open) online.\n*   **Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS)**: The LLS has several financial assistance programs that may help with travel expenses, copays and urgent needs (including rent, utilities and food).\n*   **Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation**: The PAN Foundation has financial assistance programs that could help you cover out-of-pocket expenses, including health insurance deductibles, premiums and travel. There are almost 70 disease-specific programs available, although they're not all open to new applicants at once.\nThis is far from an exhaustive list, and you should continue looking for local or state programs, religious groups and other nonprofits that may offer medical bill assistance. You could even ask your medical provider's billing department for suggestions, or reach out to larger assistance programs or foundations and see if they have recommendations. END