Can’t Pay Your Medical Bills? Here Are 11 Medical Assistance Programs That Offer Help

An unexpected medical bill combines three components many people strongly dislike: uncertainty, healthcare, and debt. And, unfortunately, it’s easy to get caught off guard by a medical bill because of a health emergency or after a planned procedure. Even with insurance, your out-of-pocket costs can be unexpectedly high if you receive care from an out-of-network healthcare professional or are prescribed a costly medication. 

If you’re facing healthcare costs your budget can’t handle, there’s financial help available through medical assistance programs. Many hospital systems have financial assistance programs to help consumers afford care, and there are foundations and nonprofits that specialize in helping people cover medical bills. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services maintains a list of government-funded benefits and financial help resources. And there are organizations that provide assistance to people with specific health conditions, such as cancer.

11 medical assistance programs and organizations that help pay medical bills

Numerous organizations and charities provide financial assistance with medical bills. Here are 11 to consider:

1. Blood Cancer United’s copay assistance program helps eligible people with blood cancer pay medical insurance premiums and treatment-related costs, including prescription copays, deductibles, coinsurance, labs, and scans. Coverage and award amounts vary by disease fund.

2. The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation helps eligible people with insurance cover copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for certain prescribed cancer treatments. Assistance is diagnosis-specific, income-dependent, and based on available funding. CancerCare’s financial assistance program is open to insured and uninsured people who are diagnosed with cancer, and offers help with transportation, child care, and pet upkeep. If you don’t qualify for either program, specialists can also help you find other potential sources of assistance.

3. The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides low-cost health coverage to eligible children from families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, but may not be able to afford private coverage. Eligibility and costs vary by state and territory.

4. Community health centers, which are also known as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), provide primary care to members of underserved communities and offer sliding-fee discounts based on people’s ability to pay.

5. The HealthWell Foundation helps eligible underinsured people with certain chronic or life-altering conditions. Grant rules and approved expenses vary by fund, but the assistance may cover prescription copays, insurance premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other out-of-pocket healthcare costs.

6. Medicare Extra Help provides assistance with Medicare Part D costs to people who meet income and resource requirements. In most states, the 2026 income limits are $23,940 for individuals and $32,460 for married couples, and the resource limits are $18,090 for individuals and $36,100 for married couples. (These amounts are higher in Alaska and Hawaii.) The program helps pay Part D premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other prescription medication costs.

7. NeedyMeds helps people find free healthcare and connect with programs that can lower the costs of prescription medications. You may be able to find patient assistance programs, copay savings cards, coupons, or rebates to help with your medication expenses.

8. The Patient Advocate Foundation, which merged with the PAN Foundation in 2026, offers a nationwide patient assistance program called TotalAssist. It provides financial help to underinsured people through nearly 150 funds focused on serious and chronic conditions. In general, these funds provide assistance with copays, coinsurance, deductibles, health insurance premiums, treatment-related transportation costs, and certain other treatment-related expenses.

9. State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, also known as SPAPs, are run by some states and territories to help people with limited financial resources pay prescription medication costs. SPAPs mainly assist older adults, and eligibility requirements vary by program. You can use this tool to find out if your state or territory has an SPAP and what assistance is available.

10. The Assistance Fund provides financial help to eligible people with certain life-threatening, chronic, or rare conditions. The grants help cover copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. Assistance is subject to availability of funds and may vary by condition-related program.

11. The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation provides grants to help pay medical expenses that are not covered, or not fully covered, by commercial health insurance for children ages 16 and younger. (Children who have secondary insurance from a government-sponsored program such as CHIP or Medicaid are eligible.) Recipients may receive up to $5,000 per year, but lifetime assistance is capped at $10,000 and income limits apply.

Availability of funds and eligibility requirements can change, so check a program’s status before applying. A healthcare professional or patient advocate may be able to help you figure out what options are available to you based on your medical history and financial circumstances. The patient services department of your local hospital also may be able to help you find assistance with medical bills.

Do all hospitals have their own financial assistance programs?

Some hospitals have financial assistance programs, and others do not. Under the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA), certain tax-exempt nonprofit hospitals are required to maintain financial assistance programs that give eligible patients access to free or discounted care. These are typically called indigent care or charity care programs.

Depending on where you live, your state or territory may require all hospitals to make medical bills more affordable for certain people. Eligibility requirements vary, so it is important to ask about the guidelines for the facility where you will be receiving care or have received care.

As of a July 2025 report from the Commonwealth Fund, 20 states and Washington, D.C., have financial assistance standards that require certain hospitals to provide eligible patients with free or discounted care. These standards have been adopted in:

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Florida

• Georgia

• Illinois

• Maine

• Maryland

• Nevada

• New Jersey

• New York

• North Carolina

• Ohio

• Oklahoma

• Oregon

• Rhode Island

• South Carolina

• Vermont

• Washington state

• Washington, D.C.

Requirements can vary by location, and may apply only to certain hospitals or consumers.

How do you know if you are eligible for Medicaid?

Medicaid is a joint state and federal health insurance program for people with low incomes. You will need to contact your state or territory’s Medicaid program to find out if you qualify for coverage. Each Medicaid program has its own income requirements and eligibility standards. There is a Medicaid program in every state, Washington, D.C., and these five territories:

• American Samoa

• Guam

• Northern Mariana Islands

• Puerto Rico

• U.S. Virgin Islands

How do pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs work?

Patient assistance programs that provide medications are typically sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers or associated foundations. These programs offer copay savings cards, discounts, and other types of financial assistance to help consumers access medications for free or at a low cost. 

Read more like this

Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.

Health Insurance Terminology 101: A Glossary of Health Insurance Terms and Definitions

How to Choose Your Health Insurance Plan

Does My Insurance Cover Off-Label Prescriptions?

What Are My Health Insurance Options as a College Student?

View more

Eligibility varies by program and medication. You may qualify for a program based on income, insurance status, and/or where you live. Some programs may require information or paperwork from your prescriber. There also may be limits on how much free or discounted medication you can receive or how long you can participate.

Here are some patient assistant programs for medications you may want to consider:

• AbbVie’s patient assistance program, also known as myAbbVie Assist, helps eligible people who are uninsured, underinsured, or facing financial hardship get their prescribed AbbVie medications at a low cost or for free. 

• The Gilead Advancing Access program provides support for people who need help accessing HIV treatment or PrEP.

• GSK for You offers coupons, copay assistance, and free medications for eligible individuals.

• The Lilly Cares Foundation patient assistance program provides free medications to qualified applicants with financial need.

• Novo Nordisk’s patient assistance program provides free Novo Nordisk medications to eligible people who meet income and insurance requirements.

• Pfizer RxPathways offers free or discounted medications to eligible individuals

What can you do to lower the costs of healthcare?

There are several potential ways to reduce your out-of-pocket healthcare costs:

• The GoodRx website or app is a good place to start for savings on prescription medications. In addition, GoodRx Companion, a subscription service with a low monthly price, can help you pay less for self-pay healthcare. A membership can help save on prescription medications, telehealth, and other everyday healthcare services, such as dental and vision care, lab work, and imaging and diagnostics. The program gives you access to more than 250 generic medications at no additional cost, and hundreds more for less than $10 per fill.

• Ask about healthcare costs upfront when possible. You’ll be less likely to face surprise bills and, if needed, you can shop around for better pricing.

• If you need nonemergency care, skip the hospital ER and see your regular healthcare professional, if you have one. If you can’t get an appointment quickly, consider going to an urgent care center, which is usually less costly and time-consuming than going to the ER.

• If you have insurance, use in-network healthcare professionals and facilities as much as possible. They will charge you negotiated rates, which are usually lower.

• If you have a chronic or complex medical condition, such as diabetes, consider asking your health plan for a case manager or patient advocate to get the most out of your benefits.

• If you have Medicare Part D, consider taking advantage of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan program. This program allows you to spread out your out-of-pocket prescription costs across the calendar year. It doesn’t lower your financial obligation, but it can make your costs easier to manage month to month.

• Shop around during your next open enrollment period. You may be able to find a plan with lower premiums. This is particularly true if you have coverage through an ACA marketplace plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.

What should you do if you get a medical bill you can’t afford?

Don’t panic if you receive a medical bill you can’t afford. Worrying about medical debt can negatively affect your health. Instead, take these steps to address a large medical bill:

• Check that the charges are accurate for all items and services.

• Contact your healthcare professional or healthcare facility to ask for a discount or payment plan.

• If you received services in a hospital, find out if the facility offers a financial assistance program, such as a charity care or indigent care program. You can also ask about your eligibility for debt forgiveness.

• Check whether you qualify for assistance through local, state, or federal government-funded programs.

How do you find a free clinic near you?

You may have several options for free and low-cost healthcare in your area, especially if you don’t have insurance. These may include:

• Free and charitable clinics: These clinics serve people who may not have access to insurance. Care is typically free, and some clinics also provide medications at no cost. The National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics provides a search tool that can help you find a location near you.

• Community health centers: FQHCs provide primary care to members of underserved communities on a sliding-scale basis. You can use this tool from the Health Resources and Services Administration to search for health centers by city, state, or ZIP code.

• Safety-net hospitals and clinics: Also known as county, public, or essential hospitals, these facilities provide care to people regardless of their insurance status. Use this list to potentially locate a safety-net hospital near you.

• Rural health clinics: People who live in rural areas may have access to rural clinics that provide primary and preventive care. Services aren’t necessarily free, but some offer sliding-scale discounts based on income and family size.

Frequently asked questions

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

DeShena Woodard, BSN, RN

DeShena Woodard, BSN, RN, is a Texas-based registered nurse, freelance writer, financial freedom coach, and certified life coach. Writing about personal finance for more than 3 years, her advice has been featured on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, NerdWallet, Debt.com, GoBankingRates, the Balance, and also on her own website, ExtravagantlyBroke.com.

Edited by:

Cindy George, MPH

Cindy George, MPH, is the senior personal finance editor at GoodRx. She is an endlessly curious health journalist and digital storyteller.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts