Patient Advocate Foundation Launches Program to Help Uninsured Virginians with Chronic, Debilitating and Life-Threatening Illness Access Quality ...(itizens access the full spectrum of care...),Health

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of the Census, approximately 45 million Americans do not have any form of health insurance. The 2005 Census estimates that in Virginia alone, there are currently 952,000 uninsured adults and 156,000 uninsured children, which translates to approximately 12.8% of the state's population.

Virginia Cares Uninsured Program will offer a variety of services to the state's uninsured population including:

-- Seeking to negotiate funding and/or insurance coverage for medical

devices, surgical procedures, medications, medical discounts or write-

offs for services, and clinical trials;

-- Seeking to negotiate free or reduced medication, nutrition, housing,

utilities and free or reduced transportation and lodging for patients

who must travel for treatment;

-- Assisting patients with obtaining insurance with COBRA, Medicaid,

Medicare, Guarantee Issues Plans, HIPAA plans and FAMIS/FAMIS Select;

-- Assisting patients with applying, expediting decisions and appealing

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security

Income (SSI), Long Term Disability (LTD) and/or Short Term Disability

To be eligible for this program, a patient must be a legal resident of the United States currently residing in Virginia with a diagnosis of chronic, life-threatening or debilitating disease and must be uninsured.

In 2006, PAF received 336,105 total requests for information and/or assistance from Virginians, 43,201 of which were uninsured. This resulted in 2,080 cases in which PAF case managers provided guidance and intervention to patients assuring access to healthcare, maintenance of employment, and preservation of their financial stability. Additional PAF programs include the Co-Pay Relief Program, National African
'/>"/>