Financial etc. Help for Patients Travelling For Treatment

[j'swife]

I have received this excellent letter from the volunteer I spoke to at the clearinghouse called patienttravel.org and want to share it with any CC members who are travelling for their surgery or treatment. It links to nationwide resources and explains the conditions for the flights and other aid. Pretty heartwarming example of Americans' generosity to each other, too! :

The National Patient Travel Center & Helpline is a referral service for ambulatory patients who cannot afford the cost of transportation to and from scheduled appointments for specialized medical treatment not available to them locally.

The following organizations may be able to assist with a commercial airline request as long as all required paperwork is submitted in a timely manner. Due to the dwindling number of airline seats available using donated air miles, it is important to be flexible with travel times and days and give notice of air travel needs as soon as possible. Please contact only one of the following organizations for each flight needed to avoid duplication of services and loss of precious air miles.

Mercy Medical Airlift at 888-675-1405. Mercy Medical Airlift needs a minimum of 10 full business days after they receive all required paperwork in order to process a flight request. You most likely will have to leave a message for them when you call. Your message should contain only your full name, telephone number including your area code, and that you are calling regarding a flight request for a medical appointment. Their regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm Eastern Time. Generally they are able to return a call within 24 business hours.

In addition to their financial needs based programs, Mercy Medical Airlift also books flights for the American Cancer Society Air Miles Program. This program provides one flight each year for a patient traveling for treatment and is not a financial needs based program. To participate in this program, call the National Cancer Information Center at 800-227-2345, press 1 to speak to a Cancer Information Specialist, and request an American Cancer Society Identification Number . That number will authorize Mercy Medical Airlift to book a flight .

Miracle Flights at 800-359-1711. To expedite the process, you can find the application forms on-line at http://www.miracleflights.org by clicking the REQUEST A FLIGHT button. The web site identifies the program as Miracle Flights for Kids, but they do fly adults as well as children. Miracle Flights needs to receive all required paperwork 10 working days prior to the date of the requested flight.

There are also 2 non-commercial programs that may be able to assist with flights:
Corporate Angel Network at 866-328-1313. Corporate Angel Network flies only patients with a diagnosis of cancer or a cancer related illness. They fly patients through the generosity of businesses that have volunteered to take patients along when there is room on their private corporate business flights. The flight is not specifically arranged for the patient’s travel needs, rather they coordinate the patient’s needs with scheduled business flights. Corporate Angel Network will accept a flight request one (1) to three (3) weeks prior to the date of the flight. This is not a financial needs based program and can support a flight for the patient and an adult caregiver.

Angel Flight Central at 866-569-9464. Angel Flight is a regional organization made up of private pilots who volunteer their time, aircraft, and fuel to transport patients for treatment. The planes are single or twin engine planes, so there is limited room and weight restrictions for passengers and baggage/equipment. There is generally room for a patient and one traveling companion as long as their individual weights do not exceed 250 pounds. This program is able to accommodate portable oxygen (non-liquid) and some foldable walkers. The planes are not able to accommodate wheelchairs, medical equipment, or baggage in excess of 50 pounds total weight. Be sure to discuss the specifics of flight needs with the Angel Flight Coordinator to determine if this is a suitable means of travel for Mr. Abel. In order to utilize this program, passengers must be fully ambulatory, balance their weight on 1 foot to step up 18 inches into the plane or climb on the wing to enter the aircraft, be able to sit-up for the duration of the flight, and patients must not need any medical attention during the flight. Angel Flight is able to assist with flights from 150 to 1000 air miles. Notice of 7 to 10 full business days between the receipt of all required paperwork and the date of the flight is required in order to process a request. Please tell Angel Flight that the National Patient Travel Center referred you for assistance with a flight.

Joe’s House is a nationwide online lodging resource for patients in need of discounted lodging when they travel for treatment. The web site http://www.joeshouse.org allows a search for lodging facilities offering a discount to patients by the city or healthcare facility in the state to which the patient is traveling. The web site will give you complete instructions how to use it on each page. A room can be booked through the links on the web site or by telephone. Please read the instructions carefully about how to book by telephone. In most cases you will need to call the toll free number, not the local hotel, to book reservations. The telephone number for Joe’s House rings here in the National Patient Travel Center to assist those having questions about or problems using the web site. We do not have the ability to book reservations for patients, but will be happy to assist you if you have questions about the web site.

The web site http://www.managecancer.org, provides links to a variety of organizations that provide assistance for people with cancer and their families. The second, http://www.cancercare.org , is a wonderful source for information about financial resources available. Type “financial assistance” into the search box on the home page and you will be directed to links to those resources. The website http://www.cancerhawk.com has a blog containing a lot of good information and links to organizations providing a variety of resources for patients.

YOU CAN HELP TOO. Resources for commercial flights for patients are extremely limited right now. Our programs rely on the generosity of individuals with frequent flyer miles who donate their miles for the use of patients who cannot afford the cost of air travel to get to treatment. This year frequent flyer miles donations are down considerably while the number of miles needed for a flight and requests for flight assistance are continue to increase. All of our programs are working hard to find ways to increase donations. So how can you help? Tell your friends, neighbors, relatives, employers, and others that they can save a life by contributing their unused frequent flyer miles for patient medical travel. It is so easy. Have them go to http://www.donatefrequentflyermiles.org and follow the instructions. Then, please thank them for their generosity on behalf of all patients in need.

If you need additional information or have questions about the information provided, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Charlee Vees, Resource Specialist
National Patient Travel Center
4620 Haygood Road, Suite #1
Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Web Site: http://www.patienttravel.org
Toll Free: 800-296-1217
Email: charlee@patienttravel.org

[Badass]

Great info! Thank you!

[WorriedWife]

Dear J's Wife,

I think that you are extremely thoughtful and kind to post all of that information for everyone.

I bookmarked it - as should others if they wish to.

Thank you so much, you are so wonderful!