TotalAssist program overview

Program overview 

Patient Advocate Foundation’s TotalAssist program provides financial assistance in the form of grants to eligible individuals. Our financial assistance is charitable, meaning the funds are not a loan or payment plan and do not need to be repaid. They are free for the patient to use for approved expenses.

Pages: What is financial assistance?, Program terms and conditions

Disease funds  

The TotalAssist program is organized into disease funds with specific award amounts. TotalAssist includes nearly 150 disease-specific funds. Funds listed on our website are active programs. If the fund is open, we are accepting applications for it. If the fund is closed, we are not currently accepting applications. We encourage you to sign up to receive notifications when a fund opens through our real-time fund notification system. 

Related articles: Disease fund FAQs, What are fund notifications?
Pages: Find a TotalAssist fund; Sign up for notifications

Grants (financial assistance)   

Anyone can apply for and manage a TotalAssist grant for themselves as a patient, or on behalf of a patient—including caregivers, healthcare providers, pharmacy staff, case managers, and other nonprofit patient assistants or advocates. Grants are awarded to individuals who meet a specific fund’s eligibility criteria and must be used for the patient’s covered expenses.  

Related articles: Covered expenses; When can I use my grant, and how often should I use it?
Pages: How TotalAssist helps you

About Patient Advocate Foundation 

TotalAssist is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive charitable patient assistance portfolio. It is a program of Patient Advocate Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides case management and financial aid to Americans with chronic, life threatening, and debilitating illnesses.  

Pages: About Patient Advocate Foundation

Program questions

Is TotalAssist free? Do I have to pay it back? 

Patient Advocate Foundation is a charity and non-profit organization. Our TotalAssist program, and our other services, are free. TotalAssist grants are not loans and therefore do not need to be paid back. Our grants are charitable financial assistance for eligible patients. Individuals must meet our eligibility criteria, and approved applicants receive the benefit of our program at no cost.   

Will I have to pay taxes on my TotalAssist grant? Will it impact my government benefits? 

As a charity, Patient Advocate Foundation is exempt from federal income tax. Individuals who receive assistance from a charity to meet their personal needs do not generally have to pay federal income tax on the value of the assistance they receive. Therefore, it should not affect your ability to receive financial assistance from the government or affect your income taxes. This should not be considered tax advice, and we recommend you consult with a tax and/or benefits expert to confirm your situation. 

What if I have another grant from a different program? 

Having another grant from a different charitable foundation or a manufacturer program does not make you ineligible for our program.  

However, patients cannot submit the same expense to our program that has been paid by another program as that would be considered a fraudulent claim. 

We realize that some people need more help than one resource can provide, and our goal is to make sure patients have the financial support that is needed.  

Eligibility criteria for our program are consistent with OIG guidance for charitable patient assistance programs and includes verifying that the patient’s income, diagnosis and insurance are eligible for assistance using a uniform, verifiable and consistent process. As such, you can apply to our program for assistance. Having a grant from another foundation should not be used as an eligibility criterion and a way to exclude you from receiving assistance from any charitable co-pay assistance program as that is not consistent with OIG guidance. 

Pages: Program terms and conditions, Program disclaimer