Patient Advocate Foundation Announces Launch of New Colorectal Financial Aid Fund

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New Program to Assist Growing Numbers of Colorectal Cancer Patients Contacting PAF for Access to Care, Financial Assistance

HAMPTON, Va., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) – a national non-profit resolving patient access to health care issues, medical financial limitations, insurance denials and multiple government program enrollments, including Medicaid and Social Security Disability Income – announced today that it launched a new Colorectal Financial Aid Fund (FAF) beginning September 28, 2010. Earlier this month, PAF significantly expanded its Colorectal Care Line (CCL) to serve an additional 7,200 colorectal patients each year. The new program offerings are designed to assist the growing numbers of colorectal cancer patients contacting PAF for access to care support, debt relief and financial assistance.

"We are extremely pleased to offer these new programs designed to assist individuals facing colon cancer, which, according to our 2009 Patient Data and Analysis Report (PDAR), accounted for nearly 25 percent of the cancer diagnosis groups handled by PAF last year," said Nancy Davenport-Ennis, Founder and CEO of PAF. "Along with our recent Colorectal Care Line expansion, the new Financial Aid Fund will help us ensure that all colon cancer patients contacting PAF are able to get the full medical and financial support they need."

The new Colorectal Financial Assistance Fund will be providing one time grants, in the amount of $400.00, to financially-eligible colorectal cancer patients who have unmet transportation expenses, including gas, parking, toll and public transportation costs associated with their medical care. The Fund plans to serve approximately 1,200 colorectal cancer patients annually regardless of insurance status or site of care. Patients and caregivers can access the Financial Assistance Fund at 1-866-657-8634.

PAF's Colorectal Care Line (CCL) is a division of its MedCare Line, which is staffed by a team of nurses and professional case managers who provide individualized clinical case management services at no charge to patients in need.  CCL assists patients who have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer and are seeking treatment education and access to care by helping patients interpret  insurance policies, launch successful appeals for treatment denials, assist with accessing available state, local and national resources, providing educational resources and researching clinical trials.

PAF's MedCare Program case managers are available Monday through Thursday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM EDT and 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM EDT on Friday.  Patients and physicians can contact the PAF MedCare Program toll free at 1-866-657-8634 to initiate a request for assistance. An online form for submitting patient information is also available from the dedicated PAF website via www.colorectalcareline.org.

Operational funding for PAF is provided by national non-profit patient organizations, foundation grants, federal Centers for Disease Control grants, Congressional appropriations, Virginia state government appropriations, national partnerships with other patient assistance organizations, corporate donors, community fundraising events, data sales and individual donations. For more information about PAF, please visit www.patientadvocate.org or call toll-free (800) 532-5274. 

Mission: Patient Advocate Foundation is a national non-profit organization that seeks to safeguard patients through effective mediation assuring access to care, maintenance of employment and preservation of their financial stability.

SOURCE Patient Advocate Foundation