There are a number of funds available to assist men with their treatment co-pays and to help cover travel for treatments. These funds receive their financial support from the drug companies (pharama) which make voluntary contributions.

Within the overarching fund there are many disease specific funds that supply co-pay and or travel support for individuals. The drug companies can steer their support to a disease specific fund (Medivation, Astellas and Dendreon are examples of some of the pharma actively supporting prostate cancer funds.) Depending upon the donations they receive and the demand for the support the funds open and close as resources are avilable.

One of the larger funds that currently has available funds for the support of men with metastatic prostate cancer is the Patient Access Network (PAN).

Currently PAN has five different disease specific funds that are open and providing funds for co-pay assistance and travel assistance programs specific for men with advanced prostate cancer.

These five funds are:

Immunotherapy for Genitourinary Cancers Fund
This fund provides up to $10,000 per year with the possibility of an additional $10,000 later on if funding is available for any men having immunotherapy to treat prostate cancer.

To be eligible to receive funds a man must:
1- Be insured with insurance that covers the medication.
2- Reside and be treated in the United States.
3- Must be treated with an immunotherapy.
4- Have an income that falls below 500% of the federal poverty level.

Bone Metastases Fund
This fund will provide up to $3,000 per year to a man.

To be eligible to receive funds a man must:

1- Have Medicare insurance coverage.
2- The medication must treat the disease directly.
3- Must reside and be treated in the United States.
4- Have income that falls below 400% of the federal poverty level.

Chemotherapy Induced Neutropenia Fund
What is chemotherapy induced neutropenia? – Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is a condition characterized by abnormally low blood levels of infection-fighting neutrophils, a specific kind of white blood cell. Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia typically occurs 3–7 days following administration of chemotherapy and continues for several days before neutrophil levels return to normal. The type and dose of chemotherapy affects how low the neutrophil count drops and how long it will take to recover.

This fund provides up to $4,100 per year per man.

To be eligible to receive funds a man must:
1- Have Medicare insurance coverage.
2- Have medication designed to treat the disease directly.
3- Must reside and receive treatment in the United States.
4- Have income that falls below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer – Co-Pay Assistance Fund
This fund can provide up to $7,500 per year.

To be eligible to receive funds a man must:

1- Have Medicare insurance coverage.
2- Be undergoing treatment for advanced prostate cancer.
3- Reside and receive treatment in the United States.
4- Have an income that falls below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Metastatic Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) – Travel Assistance Fund
The fund will provide $2,500 per year (with the ability to receive an additional $2,500 if funding is available)

To be eligible to receive funds a man must:
1- Be prescribed an approved treatment regimen by their provider that treats the disease directly.
2- Be required to travel greater than 20 miles (one way) to receive their prescribed treatment. Exceptions to distance requirements are made for patients living in large metropolitan cities.
3- Reside and receive treatment in the United States.
4- Income must fall below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Travel Assistance Program Details
PAN offers travel assistance for patients seeking treatment for Metastatic Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer. The Travel Assistance will cover approved transportation, lodging, and ancillary travel expenses and will provide patients with a high-touch service model that assists in the scheduling of their travel needs.
Transportation
• The fund will cover air transportation, car services and other modes of travel to medical appointments related to approved therapy as determined by the prescribing physician.
• An appointment with the healthcare provider must be scheduled prior to arranging transportation.
• Patients must be approved for Travel Assistance at least two business days in advance of the appointment to ensure travel means are available.
Lodging
• Sometimes medical appointments require an overnight stay. We will help arrange and cover the expense of lodging for the patient for the approved therapy.
Ancillary Travel Expenses
• The Travel Assistance works with the patient to ensure costs related to approved travel, covering parking, fuel, and meals (if applicable).

Click here for Federal Poverty Guidelines

You can apply online for any of these assistance programs by (clicking here)

or by calling: 1-866-316-PANF (7263)

To see additional funding support possible download Malecare’s free guide to “ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER” at our web site at www.malecare.org and clicking through to the ADVANCED PROSTAE CANCER PROGRAM

Joel T. Nowak, M.A., M.S.W.