A health crisis can cost more than the medical bill. Rent, utilities, and car payments still come due, even when you’re struggling to pay for treatment.
BridgeWell Foundation is a Northern Colorado organization that helps people facing medical, dental, or mental health crises. Its Patient Assistance program may help with healthcare expenses and essential household bills.
BridgeWell was formerly known as McKee Wellness Foundation, so you may see its old name in other resources.
Here’s what the program covers, who qualifies, and how to apply.
What Does BridgeWell Provide?
BridgeWell’s Patient Assistance program provides financial help to individuals and families experiencing health-related financial hardship.
The organization groups its assistance into three main areas:
- Cancer care: Help with costs related to cancer diagnosis, treatment, medications, and other medical needs.
- Crisis health and dental: Assistance with medical bills, emergency dental care, prescriptions, rehabilitation therapies, and medical devices.
- Mental and cognitive health: Support for counseling, psychiatric care, prescriptions, dementia-related needs, and inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment.
The program may also help cover essential living expenses when a health crisis makes it difficult to keep up with bills.
These expenses can include:
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Gas, electricity, and water bills
- Cell phone and internet bills
- Car payments, registration, and repairs
BridgeWell’s frequently asked questions also mention insurance expenses, although the organization does not clearly specify which types of insurance qualify. If you need help with an insurance payment, ask BridgeWell whether your expense is eligible.
BridgeWell does not publish a standard maximum award amount. Assistance depends on your circumstances, the expenses involved, and available funding.
Not every applicant will qualify for every type of assistance, and the program may not cover an entire bill.
Who Qualifies?
BridgeWell serves residents of Larimer and Weld Counties in Colorado who are facing financial difficulties related to a medical, dental, or mental health situation.
According to BridgeWell, eligibility is based on:
- Residency: You must live in Larimer or Weld County.
- Financial need: You must demonstrate that you need help paying eligible expenses.
- Medical circumstances: Your request must be connected to a qualifying health-related situation.
- Available resources: BridgeWell considers whether you have adequate insurance coverage or other resources to meet your needs.
The organization does not publish a specific income limit or a general age restriction for Patient Assistance.
That means the program is not exclusively for seniors or people with disabilities. Adults and families in the eligible counties may be considered if they meet BridgeWell’s financial and health-related requirements.
For example, an older adult facing expensive dental treatment or someone struggling to pay household bills during cancer treatment may want to ask about assistance.
However, living in one of the eligible counties does not automatically guarantee approval.
How Do You Apply?
You can begin through BridgeWell’s official application page.
The application process generally includes these steps:
- Check your eligibility. Make sure you live in Larimer or Weld County and have a qualifying health-related financial need.
- Complete the Patient Assistance application. Provide information about your household, financial situation, and the assistance you need.
- Arrange provider verification. Your healthcare provider or social worker must complete BridgeWell’s online Provider Verification form to confirm your care.
- Wait for the application review. BridgeWell evaluates your request based on your circumstances and available resources.
- Receive a decision. If approved, BridgeWell will explain the assistance available and how the funds will be provided.
You may be asked for proof of income, household information, financial details, and documentation related to your medical situation.
The exact documents may depend on your circumstances, so check the application instructions before submitting.
When Can You Apply?
BridgeWell states that its application window runs from the 15th of each month through the 1st of the following month.
Applications are reviewed monthly.
For example, a regular application window beginning November 15 would run through December 1.
If you’re dealing with an urgent situation, BridgeWell recommends contacting its office directly rather than waiting for the next monthly review.
You can check the Patient Assistance page for the current application instructions.
What If You Live Alone and Have No Family to Help?
You do not need a family member to apply on your behalf.
However, BridgeWell requires a healthcare provider or social worker to verify your medical situation.
If you don’t have a social worker, consider asking your doctor’s office, clinic, counselor, or hospital whether someone there can complete the required verification.
It’s a good idea to arrange this early, especially because the application window is limited.
BridgeWell also says applicants can contact its office for help with the application process.
If paperwork is difficult to manage, our guide to free help filling out benefit applications explains other places where you may be able to get assistance.
Are There Any Limits?
BridgeWell has limited funding, and each application is reviewed individually.
There are a few important things to understand before applying:
- Assistance is not guaranteed. Approval depends on your financial and medical circumstances and the funds available.
- There is no published standard award amount. BridgeWell determines assistance based on individual needs.
- Repeat assistance is not clearly addressed. If you’ve received help before, ask whether you can apply again.
- Living expenses must be connected to a health-related need. This is not a general rental assistance program for people who are not experiencing a qualifying medical situation.
- Applications follow a monthly schedule. You may need to wait for the next application window unless BridgeWell can address an urgent request.
BridgeWell may provide funds to individuals or service providers, depending on the approved assistance. Don’t assume every award will be paid directly to you.
Relief Recap
BridgeWell Foundation’s Patient Assistance program may help residents of Larimer and Weld Counties, Colorado, who are struggling financially because of a medical, dental, or mental health crisis.
Assistance can include medical bills, prescriptions, dental treatment, rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and certain car expenses. The amount depends on your situation and available funding.
Applications are generally accepted from the 15th of each month through the 1st of the following month, and a healthcare provider or social worker must verify your care.
If you think you qualify, visit BridgeWell’s Patient Assistance page to review the requirements and start the application process.
For additional help with housing expenses, see our guide to rental assistance in Colorado.
