A nonprofit specializing in financial assistance for underinsured Americans has opened a new fund to provide help to Medicare patients suffering from renal cell carcinoma.
It is the second fund launched this month by the HealthWell Foundation, an independent organization which provides a financial safety net for more than 200,000 underinsured patients by facilitating access to otherwise unaffordable medical treatments.
Through the new fund, which debuted on Wednesday, HealthWell will provide grants of up to $10,000 to assist RCC patients with copayments and premiums. Patients who are on Medicare and have annual household incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for the fund.
RCC is a type of kidney cancer found in adults, and according to the National Kidney Foundation, it's the most common type. About 30 percent of those diagnosed with this illness develop an advanced, metastatic disease, meaning the cancer begins to spread to other areas of the body, typically the bones or lungs.
It's usually treated with a combination of approaches, including the removal of all or part of the kidney, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. It can often be cured if it's found and treated before it spreads.
Dr. Jeffrey Berns, president of the National Kidney Foundation, said the establishment of this fund is particularly timely, since worldwide incidents of RCC are on the rise. He added that HealthWell's financial assistance grants allow patients to focus on recovery, rather than copays and premiums.
"A diagnosis of kidney cancer is stressful enough without having to worry about the cost of treatment," said Berns.
HealthWell Foundation President Krista Zodet said in a statement that the fund will be a boon to those suffering from the condition.
"Thanks to the generosity of our donors, this fund gives new treatment options and new hope to Medicare patients living with renal cell carcinoma," she said. "Grants under the RCC fund will help bring financial relief to RCC patients so they have one less thing to worry about while managing their disease."
The RCC fund comes on the heels of a fund established by HealthWell earlier in December to assist patients suffering from multiple myeloma, a cancer formed by malignant plasma cells in bone marrow. Grants from that fund will give up to $10,000 to assist patients with copayment or premium costs.
Like Healthcare Finance on Facebook
According to the American Cancer Society, multiple myeloma is relatively uncommon: An estimated 26,800 new cases will be diagnosed in 2016. While some patients present no symptoms at all, others might experience symptoms such as bone problems, low blood counts, and kidney and nervous system problems including severe back pain, numbness and muscle weakness.
"People living with multiple myeloma face many challenges, not only in managing their disease, but also in covering the cost of their treatment," said Zodet. "Depending on the stage of their disease, patients may undergo several courses of therapy, which can be emotionally and financially draining."
Sufferers of both conditions can determine their eligibility for financial assistance by visiting HealthWell Foundation.org.
Twitter: @JELagasse