New Fund to Assist Patients Living with Mantle Cell Lymphoma Opens at the HealthWell Foundation

Fund Offers Copayment and Premium Assistance to Patients on Medicare

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Aug 21, 2019, 09:00 ET

GERMANTOWN, Md., Aug. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthWell Foundation^®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, has opened a new fund to provide copayment and premium assistance to Medicare patients living with Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL). HealthWell will provide up to $8,500 in financial assistance for a 12-month grant to eligible patients who have annual household incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level.

MCL represents approximately 5 percent of all lymphomas. According to the American Cancer Society, MCL can be difficult to treat and tends to grow faster than indolent lymphomas and doesn't usually respond to treatment as well as aggressive lymphomas. When a patient is diagnosed, it has usually become widespread in the lymph nodes, bone marrow, and often the spleen. MCL is more common in men than in women and most often appears in people over the age of 60.

"Through this fund, HealthWell will be able to help improve access to care for many patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma," commented oncologist Jeffrey Peppercorn, MD, MPH, Scientific and Ethics Advisor for the HealthWell Foundation. Dr. Peppercorn continued, "Patients with Mantle Cell Lymphoma often face a difficult prognosis. Worrying about access to therapy and financial burdens can make the distress of diagnosis and treatment worse for patients and their families. Providing financial assistance can relieve distress and give patients the best chance for a good outcome."

"Many patients living with Mantle Cell Lymphoma face multiple challenges in treating their condition. For patients on Medicare, these challenges may be even more daunting causing patients to have to choose between accessing critical medical treatment or paying for daily necessities, such as food," said Don Liss, MD, HealthWell Foundation Board Member. "We appreciate that our donors understand the needs of these individuals and the financial hardship treating MCL may present. We are honored to be able to provide a financial resource for these patients so they can concentrate on treating their condition, not on the cost."

To determine eligibility and apply for financial assistance, visit HealthWell's Mantle Cell Lymphoma fund page. To learn how you can support this or other HealthWell programs, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.

About the HealthWell Foundation
A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 65 disease areas for more than 405,000 underinsured patients by providing approximately $1.25 billion in grant support to access life-changing medical treatments they otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly. HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked #41 on the 2018 Forbes list of the 100 Largest U.S. Charities and was recognized for its 100% fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit www.HealthWellFoundation.org.

CONTACT:
Ginny Dunn
240-632-5309
[email protected]

SOURCE HealthWell Foundation