GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthWell
Foundation®, an independent non-profit that provides a
financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, is excited
to announce that it has launched a new fund to assist individuals
living with pulmonary hypertension (PH). Through the fund,
HealthWell will provide up to $10,000
in medication copayment or insurance premium assistance for a
12-month grant period to eligible Medicare patients who have annual
household incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty
level.
About Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary Hypertension is
a term used to describe high blood pressure in the lungs from any
cause. PH is a condition that affects the blood vessels in the
lungs, causing vessels to become stiff, damaged or narrow, making
the right side of the heart work harder to pump blood through.
According to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), the most
common symptoms of PH are breathlessness, fatigue and dizziness,
which can be associated with many other conditions such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma or heart disease,
making PH difficult to diagnose.
There are five groups of PH based on different causes as defined
by the World Health Organization.
- Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
- Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease
- Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Lung Disease
- Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Chronic Blood Clots in the
Lungs
- Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Unknown Causes
Regardless of the type, if left untreated, PH can result in
right heart failure and death. There is no cure for PH, however,
specific therapies are available to manage symptoms and improve
quality of life. For additional information and resources, visit
the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
"Prompt, accurate diagnosis and continuous treatment are
essential for the pulmonary hypertension community. For people
living with this potentially deadly disease, forgoing treatment is
not an option," said Katie Kroner,
Senior Director of Advocacy and Treatment Access for PHA.
"Unfortunately, individuals living with PH often face significant
financial barriers to care. Charitable assistance organizations
like the HealthWell Foundation provide an essential safety net for
those whose lives depend on these complex therapies. PHA is
thrilled that a new resource is now available for PH community
members struggling with premium and copay costs."
"Symptoms of the disease can have a dramatic impact on physical
activity, making day-to-day activities extremely tiring and
difficult. For people living with PH, specialty care and having the
financial resources to access that care, especially for patients on
Medicare, can present overwhelming challenges," said Krista Zodet, HealthWell Foundation President.
"PH is a disease that requires continued treatment. Any
interruption in that treatment or going untreated can result in
devastating consequences for the patient. We are proud that our
dedicated donors recognize this critical need and that, thanks to
their generosity, we are able to provide a financial lifeline to
Medicare patients living with PH to enable them to access
life-changing, potentially lifesaving, medical treatments without
the added burden of figuring out how to pay for them."
To determine eligibility and apply for financial assistance,
visit HealthWell's Pulmonary Hypertension
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 80
disease areas for more than 615,000 underinsured patients. Since
its inception, HealthWell has provided over $2.1 billion in grant support to access
life-changing medical treatments patients 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 29th on the
2020 Forbes list of The 100 Largest
U.S. Charities and was recognized for its 100 percent
fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit
www.HealthWellFoundation.org.
About the Pulmonary Hypertension
Association
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the Pulmonary Hypertension
Association (PHA) is the country's oldest and largest non-profit
patient association dedicated to the pulmonary hypertension (PH)
community. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, chronic and
life-threatening disease of the lungs for which no cure currently
exists. PHA's mission is to extend and improve the lives of those
affected by PH. To achieve its mission, PHA engages people with PH
and their families, caregivers, health care providers and
researchers to advocate for the PH community, provide support to
patients, caregivers and families, offer up-to-date education and
information on PH, improve quality patient care, and fund and
promote research. For more information,
visit PHAssociation.org and connect with PHA
on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
CONTACT:
Ginny
Dunn
240-632-5309
ginny.dunn@healthwellfoundation.org
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pulmonary-hypertension-fund-opens-at-the-healthwell-foundation-301205306.html
SOURCE HealthWell Foundation