The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) announced the launch of a new Hepatitis C CareLine to provide sustained and individualized assistance to patients diagnosed with Hepatitis C for free.
PAF is a national non-profit organization committed to providing professional care and management services to those patients with healthcare access problems. The CareLine will help patients across the country solve their respective problems when it comes to accessibility in all aspects of the healthcare system, or managing insurance.
This newly-launched program combines the already existing suite of CareLine programs of the Patient Advocate Foundation and its commitment to helping those with chronic and life-threatening diseases to better use and access the resources available.
In 2013, the PAF produced a list of the ten diseases that were more frequently reported by patients seeking for their help, on which hepatitis was listed. Through the Hepatitis C CareLine and through contact with case managers, patients can get “benefit coordination, educational and financial resources, help accessing the latest available treatment, navigation through the appeals and reimbursement processes, as well as other patient services,” as it can be read in a press release.
Hepatitis C is the most common chronic bloodborne infection in the Unites States, affecting about 3.2 million Americans. The disease is transmitted through direct exposure to infected blood. Seventy percent of those infected are asymptomatic or suffer with mild clinical illness, while about 80 percent of those exposed to the virus will develop a chronic infection. This infection can lead to scarring of the liver, cirrhosis and, can ultimately lead to liver failure, cancer or other gastric varices – all life-threatening complications.
This program serves both Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B patients thanks to the Patient Advocate Foundation’s Co-Pay Relief program.
Alan Balch, CEO of PAF, “Patient Advocate Foundation is committed to helping Hepatitis C patients maintain financial stability while consistently accessing needed treatments and prescribed medical care. By directly connecting Hepatitis C patients with the correct resources and negotiating on their behalf, we believe PAF can make a difference for patients in the Hepatitis C community.”
Patients can learn more about this program through visiting the official website www.hepatitisc.pafcareline.org/ or calling the number 800-532-5274.