Learn the available organizations and options for paying for your rheumatoid arthritis medications.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis often involves prescription medications and can also include surgery, biologic therapies, and physical and complementary therapies. With a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis, expenses can add up quickly. If you have insurance, it will often cover most treatment costs, but you may still have significant out-of-pocket expenses in meeting deductibles or other non-covered charges. If you can't afford these expenses, how can you continue to get the treatment you need?

The good news is that there are a number of financial assistance resources for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, depending on need. You just need to know where to go — and what to do — to take advantage of what's available.

Financial Assistance: Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act, passed by the Supreme Court in 2012, has many benefits for the rheumatoid arthritis community. According to the Arthritis Foundation web site, the Affordable Care Act: prohibits discrimination based on health status, establishes a loan repayment program for sub-specialists, such as pediatric rheumatologists, and eliminates lifetime caps on coverage.

Financial Assistance: NeedyMeds

The organization NeedyMeds is a one-stop resource for people who need financial help for many medical conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. On the NeedyMeds Web site, you can find information on federal- and state-sponsored health insurance programs, private patient assistance programs, and programs that offer financial help for specific conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. NeedyMeds also provides a tip sheet on how to save money on medications and a list of brand name and generic drugs, and the patient assistance programs that cover their cost.

Financial Assistance: HealthWell

The HealthWell Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 for the purpose of providing financial assistance to patients who need help covering their medical costs. Funds are available to eligible patients for healthcare expenses that include:

• Prescription drug coinsurance, co-payments, and deductibles
• Health insurance premiums
• Selected out-of-pocket health care costs

When determining who is eligible, HealthWell takes into account an individual's financial, medical, and insurance situation along with other criteria. To keep its funding available to those in need, HealthWell relies on donations from individuals and organizations. To find out if you qualify for assistance, go to healthwellfoundation.org.

Financial Assistance: Drug Company Programs

For low-income people who cannot afford their prescription medications, a number of drug companies provide ways to obtain free or low-cost medications. Often referred to as Patient Assistance Programs, each one has different rules and application processes.

Below are some of the patient assistance programs offered by companies that make medications for rheumatoid arthritis:

• Abbott Patient Assistance Foundation (Humira [adalimumab])
• Safety Net Foundation (Enbrel [etanercept])
• Remicade Patient Assistance (Remicade [infliximab])
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Program for Orencia (Orencia [abatacept])

Financial Assistance: State Programs

Another way to get financial help for rheumatoid arthritis medications is through your state's discount prescription program. In Washington state, for example, any resident may qualify to obtain a Prescription Drug Discount Card through the Washington Prescription Drug Program. Participating pharmacies accept the card and provide the discount at the time of sale.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently reported that 42 states have established or authorized prescription drug assistance programs. To find out if your state has such a program, take a look at the NCSL report, which includes tables that designate which states have programs and whether changes to the program are under way.

Financial Assistance: Medicare or Medicaid

Two federal health insurance programs provide low or no-cost health insurance to certain individuals. Medicare insurance is available to people 65 and older, some disabled people under 65, and people with end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure treated with dialysis or a transplant). Medicare has several plans that provide coverage for prescription drugs.

Medicaid is a federal health insurance program run by individual states, so each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. Medicaid is available only to certain low-income individuals and families who fit into an eligibility group that is recognized by federal and state law.