Best Nonprofits That Help With Medical Bills: Financial Assistance, Grants & Medical Debt Relief

Overview

If you’re struggling with healthcare expenses, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans look for help with medical bills every year. Whether you’re dealing with unexpected hospital charges, chronic condition costs, or long-term debt, there are trusted nonprofits that offer financial help with medical bills, medication costs, insurance premiums, and even medical debt consolidation. 

If you’re still struggling with coverage gaps, you may also qualify for free or discounted healthcare options if you’re underinsured.

This resource article highlights the best nonprofits that help with medical bills, how they work, what they cover, and how to contact them. 

HealthWell Foundation

Overview

The HealthWell Foundation is one of the most impactful nonprofits offering direct financial help with medical bills for underinsured patients. They focus on patients who technically have insurance but still face unaffordable medication costs, deductibles, or premiums.

How They Help

• Assistance with prescription copays
• Help with premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance
• Thousands of disease-specific grant programs
• Ideal for patients who need ongoing treatment support

Key Impact Stats (At a Glance)

• More Than 40,500 Calls Handled Each Month (and growing)
• Received Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency (Yearly Since 2018)
• More Than $4.8 Billion in Grants Paid to Date (and counting)
• Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator (Yearly Since 2018)
• 100% of Every Dollar Donated Goes Directly to Patient Grants and Services
• Top-Rated by GreatNonprofits (Yearly Since 2018)

How to Reach Them

• Website: https://www.healthwellfoundation.org/
• Patient Portal: https://portal.healthwellfoundation.org/
• Phone: (800) 675-8416
  

PAN Foundation (Patient Access Network)

Overview

The PAN Foundation provides robust financial assistance for medical bills, helping cover out-of-pocket treatment costs for people with chronic and rare conditions. Their programs frequently reopen as funding becomes available.

How They Help

• Copay, coinsurance, and deductible assistance
• Support for life-saving medications
• Helps insured patients bridge the affordability gap
• Especially useful for expensive specialty medications

Key Impact Stats (At a Glance)

• Charity Navigator Score: 98 out of 100
• Candid Platinum Transparency 2024
• 2025 Top-Rated Nonprofit on GreatNonprofits
• 93% of All Donations Go Directly to Patients
  

How to Reach Them

• Website: https://www.panfoundation.org/
• Patient Portal: https://portal.panfoundation.org/
• Phone: (866) 316-7263
  

Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF)

Overview

The Patient Advocate Foundation provides free case management, insurance navigation, and financial help with medical bills for patients living with serious or chronic diseases. They also negotiate with hospitals and insurers on behalf of patients, a huge benefit for anyone facing unfair billing.

How They Help

• Direct assistance and financial aid for medical bills
• Insurance claim negotiation & appeals
• Copay and medication assistance
• Help resolving surprise bills and coverage disputes

Key Impact Stats (At a Glance)

PAF is honored to have received many distinguished recognitions and awards throughout its years of service. Their most recent national accolades include:

• Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator
• Candid Platinum Transparency Award (2024)
• GreatNonprofits Top-Rated Nonprofit (2024)
  

These honors reflect PAF’s commitment to high-impact assistance, operational excellence, and patient-centered service.

How to Reach Them

• Website: https://www.patientadvocate.org/
• Phone: (800) 532-5274
• Get Help: https://www.patientadvocate.org/get-help/
  

Undue Medical Debt (Formerly RIP Medical Debt)

Overview

Undue Medical Debt buys medical debt in bulk from hospitals or collectors, for pennies on the dollar, and forgives it completely. This nonprofit has erased billions of dollars in medical debt across the U.S. and continues to expand nationally.

This type of help is especially useful for low-income families seeking alternatives to medical debt consolidation or bankruptcy.

How They Help

• Buys and eliminates medical debt
  
• No application needed — recipients are selected based on income
• Helps individuals stuck with bills already sent to collections
• A powerful alternative to traditional medical debt consolidation

Key Impact Stats (At a Glance) 

• $22,849,672,373 in Medical Debt Relieved: Impacting more than 14.72 million people across the U.S.
• $25M in Debt Abolished: Through Community Partnerships with local health advocates.
• $40M in Debt Abolished via the Medical Debt Relief Alliance’s monthly donor contributions.
• $1.2M in Debt Abolished by students participating in the Students in Action initiative.
• 300+ Healthcare Providers Partnered

These numbers demonstrate Undue Medical Debt’s unmatched impact and its role as the largest medical-debt-forgiveness organization in the country.

How to Reach Them

• Website: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/
• Contact: https://www.unduemedicaldebt.org/contact/
  

Condition-Specific Nonprofits

Many patients can also get help with medical bills through nonprofits dedicated to their specific diagnosis. These organizations often cover travel, treatment, medications, and urgent living expenses during medical crises.

Examples & Links

• CancerCare – Provides financial assistance for cancer patients to help cover treatment-related costs such as transportation, medications, and home care.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) – Offers financial support programs for patients with blood cancers, including help with copays, travel, and treatment-related expenses.
• National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) – Supports individuals with rare diseases by offering financial aid for medical expenses, treatments, and essential care services.
• National MS Society – Provides financial assistance for people living with multiple sclerosis to help with medical costs, mobility needs, and daily living support.
  

How They Help

• Travel for treatment
• Medication and copay assistance
• Emergency grants for housing, food & transportation
• Support for caregivers

Medical Debt Consolidation: What Patients Should Know

If medical debt has already piled up, you may also consider medical debt consolidation — combining multiple bills into one monthly payment. While this isn’t offered by nonprofits, patients often explore:

• Low-interest personal loans
• Nonprofit credit counseling agencies
• Medical payment plans through hospitals
• 0% APR medical credit lines

Important: These options will NOT reduce the total debt; they simply make payments more manageable. For debt forgiveness, nonprofits like Undue Medical Debt offer better alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What nonprofit organizations help with medical bills?

Several national nonprofits provide financial help for medical bills, including the HealthWell Foundation, PAN Foundation, Patient Advocate Foundation, and Undue Medical Debt. Many disease-specific nonprofits also offer targeted financial support for treatment, medication, and travel. Each organization has its own eligibility requirements and application process.

2. How can I get help with medical bills if I’m underinsured?

If you have insurance but your out-of-pocket costs are too high, groups like HealthWell Foundation and PAN Foundation can help pay for copays, deductibles, and coinsurance. The Patient Advocate Foundation can also negotiate insurance issues, resolve billing errors, and secure financial aid.

3. What is medical debt consolidation, and is it a good idea?

Medical debt consolidation is the process of combining multiple medical bills into a single monthly payment through a personal loan, credit counseling agency, or specialized medical loan product.
This can simplify payments, but does not reduce the total amount owed. Patients with low income or large debts may benefit more from nonprofit assistance or debt-forgiveness programs like Undue Medical Debt, which can erase medical bills.

4. How do I qualify for financial help for medical bills?

Eligibility varies by nonprofit, but common requirements include:

• Proof of income
• Diagnosis of a covered condition
• Proof of residency
• Insurance status
• Verification of medical expenses

Funding availability also changes throughout the year, so patients are encouraged to check nonprofit websites frequently.

5. Does Medical Debt Affect Your Credit Score?

No, medical debt no longer affects your credit score.  A new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule finalized in 2025 removes all medical bills from credit reports and prohibits lenders from using medical debt in credit decisions, whether the debt is paid, unpaid, in collections, or over $500.

This means your medical bills can no longer hurt your credit profile, giving you more freedom to seek financial help for medical bills without long-term credit consequences.

6. Can nonprofits help with medical debt in collections?

Yes. Undue Medical Debt (formerly RIP Medical Debt) specializes in forgiving medical debt that has gone into collections. They purchase bundled debt portfolios from hospitals or collection agencies and erase the debt for qualifying low-income individuals.

7. Are there nonprofits that help with cancer treatment costs?

Absolutely. CancerCare, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, NORD, and many disease-specific organizations provide grants for travel, copays, medication, lodging, and caregiver support. Eligibility depends on diagnosis and income level.

8. How fast can I get help with medical bills?

Timeframes vary depending on the organization:

• Some nonprofits offer same-week approval for copay or medication grants.
• Case management services, such as those offered by the Patient Advocate Foundation, may take longer due to document review.
• Medical debt forgiveness programs like Undue Medical Debt do not take applications — recipients are notified once their debt has been purchased and forgiven.
  

9. Do some hospitals offer financial help for medical bills?

Yes. Nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer charity care or financial assistance programs (FAPs) to qualifying low-income patients. You may receive reduced or fully forgiven bills depending on your income and the hospital’s policy. Always request a copy of the hospital’s FAP and ask for an itemized bill before paying.

10. Can negotiating medical bills reduce what I owe?

Yes. Many bills, especially emergency room and out-of-network charges, can be reduced through negotiation. Organizations like the Patient Advocate Foundation can help negotiate lower balances or overturn insurance denials. Patients can also negotiate directly by requesting:

• An itemized bill
• Removal of duplicate charges
• Financial aid adjustments
• Cash-pay discounts
  

Before or alongside nonprofit assistance, you can try these medical bill negotiation tips to lower your costs to reduce what you owe.

How to Choose the Best Nonprofit for Your Situation

To further manage expenses, here are additional tips to reduce your out-of-pocket healthcare costs that can complement nonprofit assistance.

Final Thoughts

Getting help with medical bills doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you want to try reducing your balances before seeking nonprofit aid, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to negotiate medical bills effectively.

These nonprofits provide essential support, from financial aid to full medical debt forgiveness, so patients can focus on healing, not debt.