Patient Advocate Foundation

Patient Advocate Foundation is a national nonprofit that helps people with serious illness, including cancer, deal with the practical problems around treatment. Its case managers work one-on-one with you to sort out insurance, costs and access.

What they offer

• Free case management for insurance denials and appeals, copays and access to care.
• Help with living expenses and workplace issues during treatment.
• Carelines for specific conditions.
• TotalAssist financial aid for eligible out-of-pocket costs: medication copays, coinsurance and deductibles, insurance premiums and some treatment-day charges.

How to join and what it costs

Call or apply online. Case management is free. PAF lists these eligibility rules: a confirmed diagnosis; in treatment, starting within 60 days or finished within the last six months; and U.S. citizen or permanent resident (checked October 23, 2026). PAF and the PAN Foundation merged in 2026. Since July 1, 2026, new financial aid applications and renewals go through TotalAssist, a single program with nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity funds covering cancer and many other conditions. Funds open and close, and you can ask to be notified when a closed fund opens (checked October 24, 2026).

How it fits with other groups here

This is the place to go for money and insurance problems rather than medical questions. For lung cancer support, see LUNGevity and GO2 for Lung Cancer. My find support guide has more.

Questions I would ask

• Can you help me appeal an insurance denial for a test or drug?
• Is any copay or financial aid fund open for my diagnosis right now?
• What should I gather before my first call?

Contacts

• Website: patientadvocate.org
• Case management: Case management services
• Phone: 800-532-5274
• Financial aid: TotalAssist
• TotalAssist phone: 866-512-3861