Medical bills pile up fast, even when you have insurance. Copays, premiums and treatment-related charges can wipe out a tight budget in a single month.
A newly launched program called TotalAssist may be able to help. It’s now taking applications through nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity funds, so it’s worth a look if you’re struggling to afford care.
What Is TotalAssist?
TotalAssist launched July 1, 2026, after Patient Advocate Foundation and PAN Foundation announced a strategic merger and combined their financial assistance programs into one system.
Patient Advocate Foundation describes TotalAssist as the nation’s largest and most comprehensive charitable patient assistance program, with nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity funds.
Instead of navigating separate financial assistance programs from the two organizations, patients can now search for funds and apply through a single system at TotalAssist.org.
What TotalAssist Covers
TotalAssist grants can help with eligible out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, including:
- Medication copays, coinsurance and deductibles
- Health insurance premiums
- Office visit charges on the day of treatment
- Administration charges related to treatment
One of the interesting things about TotalAssist is that grants aren’t necessarily restricted to just one type of eligible expense. Depending on the fund, patients may be able to use their grant across multiple eligible healthcare costs.
Exactly what is covered can depend on the individual fund, so check the rules for the fund associated with your condition before assuming an expense will qualify.
Who Can Get TotalAssist Help?
Eligibility varies by fund, but there are some general requirements.
TotalAssist generally requires patients to:
- Have a qualifying diagnosis confirmed by their healthcare team
- Have household income at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level, adjusted for the Cost-of-Living Index where they live
- Have qualifying health insurance coverage
- Meet any additional requirements established for their specific fund
Individual disease funds can have more specific requirements, so it’s important to check the eligibility page for the condition you’re seeking help with.
TotalAssist serves patients with serious and chronic conditions through nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity funds, including funds related to cancer, rare diseases and other chronic or complex illnesses.
What About Health Equity Funds?
TotalAssist also has health equity funds designed to expand access to assistance in certain underserved areas.
However, living in a qualifying ZIP code by itself doesn’t automatically make someone eligible.
Health equity funds can have additional geographic requirements on top of the program’s other eligibility criteria. That means you may still need a qualifying diagnosis and must meet the applicable treatment, insurance, income and other requirements for that particular fund.
If you want to understand where your household income falls compared with federal guidelines, our Federal Poverty Level guide explains the current income thresholds and percentages.
How to Find an Open Fund
Start by searching for your condition or medication on TotalAssist.org.
Each fund has its own funding status, eligibility requirements and award amounts.
Funding can open and close depending on availability, and TotalAssist processes applications on a first-come, first-served basis.
If the fund you need is closed, you can sign up for notifications so you’ll know when funding becomes available again.
Because funds can fill quickly, it’s a good idea to have your information ready before an opening is announced.
How to Apply for TotalAssist
Here’s what the process generally looks like:
- Find your fund. Search by disease or medication to find the TotalAssist fund that may apply to you.
- Check the eligibility requirements. Review the diagnosis, income, insurance and any other requirements listed for that specific fund.
- Apply online. TotalAssist accepts applications through its online portal. Patients and caregivers can apply directly, and providers, pharmacies and nonprofit case managers can also apply on behalf of a patient.
- Receive an eligibility decision. TotalAssist says applications receive an instant eligibility decision based on the information provided and the availability of funding.
- Complete verification. After approval, TotalAssist verifies qualifying information, including your diagnosis and financial need. Your healthcare team may need to verify your diagnosis, and you may be asked for income documentation if your income can’t be verified automatically.
It’s important to respond quickly to verification requests. TotalAssist says a grant can be forfeited if it cannot verify the required diagnosis or financial need within 30 days of approval.
You May Be Able to Get Reimbursed for Earlier Bills
Here’s another important feature: an approved TotalAssist grant comes with a six-month lookback period.
That means eligible expenses you paid out of pocket during the six months before your award date may be eligible for reimbursement.
Once you’re approved, your grant funding is generally available for 12 months from the approval date, as long as the grant remains active.
TotalAssist requires patients to use their funding at least once every 120 days to keep a grant active. If you know your eligible healthcare expenses occur less frequently than that, the organization recommends contacting its support team in advance.
How You Use the Grant
Depending on the expense, TotalAssist provides different ways to use grant funding.
For eligible medication costs, patients may receive access to a virtual pharmacy card that can be used for covered expenses at the pharmacy.
Patients can also submit eligible claims for reimbursement through the TotalAssist system.
The exact payment process and covered expenses depend on the type of grant, so review your approval information carefully before paying an expense and assuming it will be reimbursed.
Need Help Applying?
If you’d rather talk to someone before applying, TotalAssist support specialists are available:
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time
866-512-3861
You can also use the live chat available through TotalAssist’s website.
Relief Recap
TotalAssist is a newly unified patient assistance program that offers financial help through nearly 150 disease-specific and health equity funds.
Eligible patients may be able to get help with medication copays, coinsurance, deductibles, health insurance premiums and other qualifying treatment-related costs. Approved grants can also include a six-month lookback period for eligible expenses paid before the award date.
The biggest thing to remember is that each fund has its own eligibility requirements and funding status. Check the fund for your specific condition, and if it’s closed, sign up for alerts so you’ll know when applications reopen.
If medical debt is only part of what you’re dealing with, take a look at our roundup of hardship grants for more places to turn.
