Patient Frequently Asked Questions
Applying for Assistance
Documentation can be received by electronic document upload, fax, or mail. The most efficient way to submit documentation is through our electronic document uploader.
Document Uploader: https://TAFcares.org/upload.
Fax: (833) 865-3757
Mailing Address:
The Assistance Fund
4700 Millenia Blvd., Suite 410
Orlando, FL 32839
We provide assistance for more than 80 diseases. Follow this link to learn more on our Covered Diseases page.
When applying for copay assistance, you must provide and verify your demographic, insurance, and financial information. If additional documentation is required, we will let you know.
Conditional approval gives you 30 days of immediate assistance for open disease programs accepting new applications where funding is available. To receive assistance past the 30-day period, you must submit a completed application, including your signature and agreement to the Program Terms and Conditions. If you apply online, sign electronically, agree to Terms and Conditions, and meet all criteria, you will be approved for the full calendar year (unless otherwise specified).
No. You should never pay a fee to apply for enrollment in an independent charitable patient assistance organization. For more information on independent charitable patient assistance organizations, call one of our Patient Advocates at (855) 845-3663.
Paying for Your Treatment
If your insurance changes, you only need to inform TAF if your new insurance plan does not cover a portion of your FDA-approved treatment. If your new insurance plan does not cover a portion of your FDA-approved treatment, you will no longer be able to receive TAF assistance.
Our disease programs cover all FDA-approved treatment for the disease named in each program.
Our financial assistance can be used with any pharmacy that:
1) is in your primary insurance’s network;
2) is able to dispense your medication; and
3) accepts our payment methods of electronic claims submission or manual paper claim submission.
To find out which pharmacies you can use, contact your doctor or health insurance provider. You will need to provide your TAF program card, which has all the information required for the pharmacy to process a claim, to your pharmacy.
Our financial assistance can be used with any site of care that:
1) is in your primary insurance’s network;
2) is able to provide your infusion treatment; and
3) accepts our payment methods of electronic claims submission or manual paper claim submission.
To find out which sites of care you can use, contact your doctor or health insurance company. You will need to provide your TAF program card, which has all the information required for your provider to process a claim, to your provider.
Program Information
When you are referred to The Assistance Fund for copay assistance, expect the following;
1) We will review the referral information against the disease program’s eligibility criteria.
2) If the referral meets the disease program’s eligibility requirements, you will be granted conditional approval, which allows your pharmacy to dispense your prescribed medication for 30 days.
3) We will mail a welcome letter with an enrollment application to you the following business day. You must complete and return the application by the conditional approval expiration date stated in the letter.
4) To continue to receive assistance beyond the 30-day conditional approval period, you must submit a completed application, including your signature and agreement to the Program Terms and Conditions, within the conditional period.
5) If we receive your completed application by the required date and you receive full active approval, you will receive assistance through the end of the calendar year (unless otherwise specified).
You may receive assistance simultaneously through multiple copay and financial assistance disease programs if you meet each program’s eligibly criteria and funding is available.
When you are referred to The Assistance Fund for financial assistance, expect the following:
1) We will review the referral information against the disease program’s eligibility criteria.
2) If the referral information meets the disease program’s eligibility requirements and funding is available, we will mail to you a welcome letter with an enrollment application.
3) If we receive your completed application and proof of health insurance coverage, you are approved for participation in the program for the calendar year (unless otherwise specified). As part of your participation in the program, you may be required to provide insurance plan details to receive health insurance reimbursements.
If you are approved for participation in a disease program, you will receive assistance on a calendar-year basis (unless otherwise specified). Thereafter, you must reapply for assistance each calendar year. Reenrollment occurs during the fourth quarter of the current calendar year and you will be notified when the reenrollment period opens. For more information on TAF Reenrollment, visit our Reenrollment FAQs page.
Assistance in any year is always subject to the availability of funds and there is no guarantee such funds will be available.
Reimbursements
Reimbursement OverviewYou may submit all eligible expenses from the current calendar year dating back to Jan. 1 or the date the disease program opened. Eligible expenses for the previous benefit year are cut off at March 31.
To be eligible for reimbursements, you must apply to a TAF financial assistance disease program. TAF does not issue reimbursements through our copay disease programs. To be eligible for our financial assistance disease programs, you must be a U.S. resident, have health insurance, and have a diagnosis of the disease named in the program to which you are applying. TAF will verify that you meet financial requirements and are not currently receiving assistance from another 501(c)(3) organization.
Eligible expenses must be supported by acceptable documentation. Proper documentation is dependent on the reimbursement item. See below for acceptable documentation:
› Health insurance premiums: Master plan document, insurance plan detail or employer benefit summary (to be submitted once a year), and proof of payment.
› Prescription copayments: Pharmacy prescription receipt and proof of payment.
› Medical incidentals: Explanation of benefits and proof of payment.
› Travel: Proof of treatment and proof of payment.
Please allow up to six business days for review of your reimbursement documentation. If your reimbursement request is incomplete, you will receive a letter informing you of what additional documentation is required to validate the expense. If you do not submit the requested documentation within 30 days of the date of the letter, TAF will cancel the reimbursement request.
You will receive reimbursements through a TAF-issued debit card that is funded pursuant to TAF’s policies and procedures. If you are the parent or legal guardian of a patient under the age of 18, the debit card may be issued in your name. The most efficient way to submit a reimbursement request is through our electronic document uploader at: https://TAFcares.org/upload.
You may also submit your reimbursement requests by fax at (833) 865-3757, or mail at
The Assistance Fund
4700 Millenia Blvd., Suite 410
Orlando, FL 32839
Waitlist
When funding is available for a disease program, TAF will send you an invitation through your preferred communication method (voice call, text, or email) based on your position on the waitlist. When you receive the invitation, you must accept the invitation within 48 hours, or your invitation will expire. If you chose to receive a voice call, you will be able to accept your invitation by responding to the appropriate prompt. If you chose to receive a text or email, you will be able to click a link that will take you to the Waitlist Hub, where you can accept your invitation. Once you accept the invitation, you will be enrolled in the selected program.
When funding is available for a disease program, TAF will send you an invitation through your preferred communication method (voice call, text, or email) based on your position on the waitlist. When you receive the invitation, you must accept the invitation within 48 hours or your invitation will expire. If you chose to receive a voice call, you will be able to accept your invitation by responding to the appropriate prompt. If you receive a text or email, you will be able to click a link that will take you to the Waitlist Hub, where you can accept your invitation. Once you accept the invitation, you will be enrolled in the selected program.
If you receive an invitation to enroll in a TAF disease program, you must accept the invitation within 48 hours or your invitation will expire. If you receive a voice call, you will be able to accept your invitation by responding to an automated prompt. If you receive a text or email, you will be able to click a link that will take you to the Waitlist Hub, where you can accept your invitation. Once you accept the invitation, you will be enrolled in the selected program.
If you need to make changes to your waitlist application, please contact a TAF Patient Advocate at (855) 845-3663.
If you need to make changes to your contact information or communication preferences, please contact a TAF Patient Advocate at (855) 845-3663.
TAF’s Waitlist Hub provides real-time information on your waitlist status. To use the Waitlist Hub, enter your last name, date of birth, and waitlist personal identification number (PIN). You received your waitlist PIN when you applied for the waitlist.
You received your waitlist personal identification number (PIN) when you applied for the disease program waitlist. Your PIN was displayed on the screen. If you elected email or text as your preferred method of communication, your PIN was included in your waitlist enrollment confirmation. If you do not have access to your PIN, please contact a TAF Patient Advocate at (855) 845-3663.
You can remove yourself from a disease program waitlist by visiting TAF’s Waitlist Hub. Enter your last name, date of birth, and waitlist personal identification number (PIN). You received your waitlist personal identification number (PIN) when you applied for the disease program waitlist. When your waitlist record is displayed, click “DECLINE” to be removed from the waitlist.
TAF will contact you when action is required or when your waitlist application expires. Otherwise, you can check your waitlist status online on TAF’s Waitlist Hub. To use the Waitlist Hub, enter your last name, date of birth, and waitlist personal identification number (PIN). You received your waitlist PIN when you applied for the waitlist.
An email address is not required to join a disease program’s waitlist; however, you must select a method of communication (voice call, text, or email) when completing your waitlist application. TAF will use your preferred method of communication to contact you about required action or changes in your waitlist status. It is critical that you provide accurate contact information or you may not receive these communications.
Yes, a phone number is required to join a disease program waitlist.
Once you join the waitlist, if you are invited and accept enrollment, your coverage start date will be retroactive to the start of that calendar year (unless you are enrolling in a new disease program, in which case the start date will be the disease program’s launch date). You can submit covered expenses for reimbursement dating back to your coverage start date. Alternatively, your provider can submit outstanding claims dating back to your coverage start date.
You can decline your position on the waitlist on TAF’s Waitlist Hub. Enter your last name, date of birth, and waitlist personal identification number (PIN). You received your waitlist personal identification number (PIN) when you applied for the disease program waitlist. When your waitlist record is displayed, click “DECLINE” to be removed from the waitlist. If you do not have access to your PIN, please contact a TAF Patient Advocate at (855) 845-3663.
No; each waitlist application is time- and date-stamped, and enrollment invitations are sent on a first-come, first-served basis when funding becomes available.
Being placed on the waitlist does not guarantee disease program enrollment; however, if you receive and accept an enrollment invitation, you will be eligible for financial assistance if you continue to meet the disease program’s eligibility criteria.
No; disease program waitlists expire at the end of each calendar year.
TAF’s waitlists are administered on a calendar-year basis, consistent with our disease programs’ calendar-year coverage periods. Patients who are on a disease program waitlist at the end of one calendar year must re-apply to join it at the beginning of the next calendar year.
No; Only patients who are active in a disease program are eligible for Reenrollment. Patients on disease program waitlists will not receive an invitation to apply for Reenrollment.
No. Patients must apply themselves to join a disease program waitlist in the new year if they are still seeking financial assistance.