According to information provided by the National Hemophilia Foundation, people living with hemophilia now have the opportunity for a greater level of financial support. This new form of aid comes from a charitable organization known as the Assistance Fund. Keep reading to learn more about this opportunity, or follow the original story here for more information.
What is Hemophilia?
Hemophilia is a form of bleeding disorder. When a healthy individual bleeds, the body follows a natural process to stop it. Blood cells clump together, forming clots which ultimately stop the flow of blood. In people with hemophilia, the blood lacks enough of this clotting factor to be effective. As a result, even minor injuries can result in serious bleeding.
Symptoms of hemophilia often include excessive, prolonged bleeding from injuries, large, deep bruises, and pain and swelling in the joints. Other symptoms may include blood in urine and/or stool, nosebleeds appearing without obvious cause, and prolonged bleeding after vaccination, surgery, or dental work.
Currently no cure exists for hemophilia. There are, however, a variety of ways to manage the symptoms. Click here for more information on hemophilia and how it is treated.
The Assistance Fund
The Assistance Fund (AF) made its debut in 2009. Since then, the AF created and oversaw 30 different funds for patients. Each of these funds is intended to help with the costs of FDA-approved medications specific to each condition.
An AF fund does not, however, only help patients with copayments on medications. Assistance from the AF may also cover coinsurance, deductibles, insurance premiums, and incidental medical expenses. More information on the various funds, and eligibility for the fund is available on tafcares.org
Quality of Life
For many people living with hemophilia, seemingly innocent or average tasks can become a nightmare. Mark P. McGreevy, the Assistance Fund’s president and CEO, points out that a routine dentists visit could result in a serious bleeding event for a person with hemophilia. The creation of a fund for hemophilia patients, he continues, is intended to help minimize bleeding episodes. Overall, the AF believes this should improve the quality of life for each patient they can support. Their financial support enables this by giving patients better, and more affordable access to the treatments they need.
