The Assistance Fund Opens New Program for Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy

ORLANDO, Fla., April 3, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The Assistance Fund, an independent charitable patient assistance organization that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs, today announced the launch of a new financial assistance program for people living with immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). The program is designed to help eligible individuals pay for their out-of-pocket medical expenses related to immunoglobulin A nephropathy, such as copays, health insurance premiums, therapy administration costs, prescribing-physician copayments, treatment-related travel costs, and diagnostic laboratory tests.

"For too many families facing an IgAN diagnosis, the treatment they need is simply unaffordable,"  said Bonnie Schneider, Director and Co-Founder, IgA Nephropathy (IGAN) Foundation. "Thanks to The Assistance Fund's new program, people living with IgAN can access their prescribed treatment and focus on treating this terrible disease, rather than worrying how they'll afford the cost of care." 

People living with IgAN, also called Berger's disease, develop inflammation due to a buildup of immunoglobulin A antibodies in their kidneys.[1] The buildup can eventually lead to acute kidney failure or chronic kidney disease, leaving patients on dialysis. Treatment for blood pressure and cholesterol is critical to manage the progression of the disease.

"People living with IgAN require treatment to manage their symptoms for the rest of their lives," said Gerald Lauria, Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy for The Assistance Fund. "Thanks to our generous donors, our new Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy Financial Assistance Program will expand access, reduce patients' out-of-pocket costs, and bring peace of mind to families and caregivers."

To learn more or determine eligibility for financial support, visit tafcares.org or call (855) 286-9003 to speak with a Patient Advocate.

A list of all the disease programs available from The Assistance Fund can be found on the website tafcares.org.

About The Assistance Fund

The Assistance Fund (TAF) is an independent charitable patient assistance organization that helps patients and families facing high medical out-of-pocket costs by providing financial assistance for their copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and other health-related expenses. The Assistance Fund currently manages more than 80 disease programs, each of which covers all FDA-approved medications that treat a specific disease named in the disease program. Since its founding in 2009, TAF has helped nearly 180,000 children and adults access the treatment they need to stay healthy or manage a life-threatening, chronic, or rare disease. To learn more about The Assistance Fund, or for information on how to donate, please visit tafcares.org.

[1] Mayo Clinic, "IgA neuropathy (Berger's disease)," https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iga-nephropathy/symptoms-causes/syc-20352268, accessed January 2023.