HealthWell Foundation Now Offers a Financial Lifeline to Medicare Patients Living with Chronic Heart Failure

GERMANTOWN, Md., Dec. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthWell Foundation^®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, has opened a new fund to provide copayment and premium assistance to Medicare patients living with chronic heart failure. HealthWell will provide up to $2,500 in financial assistance for a 12-month grant to eligible patients who have annual household incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level.

Chronic heart failure is a progressive condition that causes the muscle in the heart wall to slowly weaken and lose its ability to pump blood. The heart is unable to pump enough blood through the heart to meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), chronic heart failure is a serious condition, and usually there is no cure. Many people with chronic heart failure lead full and enjoyable lives when managing their condition through medications and healthy lifestyle changes.

"WomenHeart recognizes that for too many women living with heart failure, the costs of ongoing treatment and care can seem insurmountable," said Celina Gorre, CEO of WomenHeart. "Women living with heart failure can thrive with proper care and treatment, however they are more likely than men to have higher total out-of-pocket costs, which may impact readmissions and overall quality of care. WomenHeart commends the HealthWell Foundation for starting a fund for heart failure patients to help off-set the financial burden of their treatment costs."

"Patients living with chronic heart failure face day-to-day challenges in managing their condition. These challenges can be even more pronounced when patients are on Medicare and struggle to cover the cost of their medications," said Krista Zodet, HealthWell Foundation President. "Our donors understand the hardships many people living with chronic heart failure endure. As a result of their generosity, we are now able to ease some of the financial barriers these patients face in accessing critical, possibly lifesaving, medications."

To determine eligibility and apply for financial assistance, visit HealthWell's Chronic Heart Failure page. To learn how you can support this or other HealthWell programs, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.

About the HealthWell Foundation
A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 65 disease areas for more than 405,000 underinsured patients by providing approximately $1.25 billion in grant support to access life-changing medical treatments they otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly. HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked #33 on the 2019 Forbes list of the 100 Largest U.S. Charities and was recognized for its 100% fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit www.HealthWellFoundation.org.

About WomenHeart
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease is the first and only national organization solely dedicated to advancing women's heart health through advocacy, community education, and patient support. WomenHeart's mission is to improve the health and quality of life of women living with or at risk of heart disease, and to advocate for their benefit. As the leading voice for the 48 million American women living with or at risk of heart disease, WomenHeart advocates for equal access to quality care and provides information and resources to help women take charge of their heart health. To learn more about WomenHeart, visit www.womenheart.org.

CONTACT:
Ginny Dunn240-632-5309
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SOURCE HealthWell Foundation