Financial Resources Beyond Your Copay

Living with a rare disease can bring financial challenges that extend far beyond the cost of a prescription. Even with health insurance, patients and families may face a range of ongoing healthcare expenses that can quickly add up.

These costs do not always occur one at a time, making it difficult to manage the overall financial impact of care.

A single month might include an insurance premium, several specialist appointments, laboratory work, prescriptions, and a long drive to a treatment center. For individuals and families already focused on managing a complex health condition, figuring out how to pay for care can become another source of stress.

The good news is that financial assistance for rare diseases can extend beyond medication copays.

Understanding the different types of assistance available—and knowing where to look for them—can help you identify resources that address more of the financial challenges associated with your care.

Chronic and Rare Disease Costs Go Beyond Prescriptions

Copay assistance is often the most familiar form of patient support, but it represents only one part of the financial picture.

For someone living with a rare disease, out-of-pocket costs may include:

• Specialist visits and follow-up appointments
• Lab work, imaging, and ongoing monitoring
• Infusion, therapy, or treatment-related fees
• Medical devices, mobility aids, or home health supplies
• Travel, lodging, or meals when care requires a trip away from home
• Lost income or added caregiving costs tied to frequent appointments

These expenses can be especially difficult when care is ongoing or requires multiple specialists. That is why looking for assistance that addresses the full scope of care—not only a single medication—can make an important difference.

A Financial Assistance Checklist

Before exploring available programs, take a moment to look at the full financial picture. A few simple steps can help you identify your biggest needs and the kinds of support worth looking for.

1. List your out-of-pocket costs. Include premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, medications, travel, equipment, and other care-related expenses.
2. Identify where you need the most help. Knowing which costs are creating the greatest barrier can help narrow your search for assistance.
3. Look for disease-specific programs. Some charitable patient programs support multiple types of eligible healthcare expenses related to a particular condition.
4. Review eligibility requirements. Available assistance can vary based on diagnosis, income, and other program criteria.
5. Check available programs as needs change. Your circumstances and available funding may change over time.

Accessia Health is one place to start. As a nonprofit patient assistance organization, Accessia Health offers programs for eligible people living with certain rare and chronic conditions, with support that extends beyond medication copays.

What Financial Assistance May Cover

The types of support available vary by patient program, but eligible assistance may include costs such as:

• Copays and coinsurance associated with treatment
• Insurance premiums that help patients maintain coverage
• Deductibles and other qualifying out-of-pocket medical expenses
• Travel-related costs connected to receiving care
• Other eligible healthcare expenses, depending on the program

Eligibility, available funding, and covered expenses can differ, so patients should review the specific requirements of any program they are considering.

How Accessia Health Can Help

We speak health and human.® That means approaching patient assistance with compassion and making complex information easier to understand, so people can focus more on their health and less on navigating financial barriers.

Accessia Health offers programs for both insured and uninsured individuals, depending on the specific program and eligibility requirements. If you are living with a rare or chronic condition, reviewing the available patient programs can help you see whether support may be available for your situation.

→ Do I Qualify?