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Request Assistance UpdateThere are new Request Assistance Guidelines. Our live national phone hours are Monday through Wednesday from 12:00 to 4:00, Eastern Time. At other times either use the Request Assistance form on the front page of the website at www.atdn.org, or leave a message at 1-800-734-7104, extension 22. Using the form Request Assistance will always get you a 24 to 48 hour response, unless traffic is very heavy. If you have submitted a request for HIV or Hepatitis assistance (or other) and we missed you, please try again. We have a new system in place that can handle the larger numbers. Sign up for our list. Once you do you can chose what you want to be updated about. You won't ever have trouble getting through to us once you have officially signed up, either. And no one is getting your name or contact information from us, either.
Individuals, service providers, clinicians, agencies and organizations often request or provide information or services through The Access Project. Please sign up using the mailing list service so you can readily inform us of any updates, and we can make appropriate referrals. If you would like us to share specific information, or feel we should include, update or correct information about your organization, agency programs, research studies, services, or the eligibility guidelines for any resource you manage or offer let us know. 
You can use the links (click on a state's name), or simply submit a Request Assistance form by e-mail so we can provide ongoing support and referrals. These numbers are mostly to ADAP programs, although in some cases calling the AIDS/STD/Hepatitis number, usually ending in 2437, will get you a referral to other information and services in that state. Please note that we have enacted new security measures to protect information, and that you will be able to remove your contact information from our databases whenever you want to. If you opt to receive ongoing information through our mailing list, we'll remind you of that on every e-mail we send out. We will be switching over to a new e-mail this system to handle the growing number of requests as well. What Resources Exist?Besides Commercial or "Private" insurance, there are State Health Insurance Programs and State Children's Health Insurance Programs, Medicare Part D, Medicaid and even AIDS Drug Assistance Programs and Patient Assistance Programs. A lot depends on the state you live in, and your income and assets. We can usually find everyone something that will help them out, but there are two basic things to keep in mind: The more you plan ahead for any health care service or expense, the easier it will be to get it at a reasonable cost. The other thing to keep in mind is that you can't speak with too many city, state or federal employees about your needs. It's absolutely amazing the resources that exist that few people know about and take advantage of. The other amazing thing is that many people do not make those who run their government aware of the resources they need. Your elected officials need to hear from you, specifically. Democracy thrives on feedback, and ongoing communication among all those who are a part of it. |
State Resources & Information
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We know that people are very carefully watching whatever money they have and prioritizing their needs. But there are still programs available. Although we can't say that we can find insurance or health care for everyone, we're pretty experienced at locating resources of many kinds.You may not spend a lot of time tracking changes in the health care system, or even if your local hospital or clinic is still open. The last few months have brought great changes. Even if you are privately insured, you have to fight harder for health care. We do not have a universally accessible health care system in this country, but we're working on it. It is going to become harder and harder to get care that you could have gotten through a scheduled visit with a health care provider through the emergency room of a hospital. We understand many of the issues that make emergency room care seem attractive, but it ends up costing everyone - including you - a whole lot more money. Plus you usually end up having a more serious, harder to treat condition than if you had taken the time and made the effort to get care before it reached the emergency room stage. We also understand that co-pays and deductibles associated with private insurance, state subsidized insurance, or Medicare can make accessing what you need impossible. Recent reports on the use of Cobra to keep health care insurance are distressing. How insurance companies operate has been called into question. But there are people who can help you navigate through a system that is rapidly changing, and making greater demands of you and your time and energy. A recent article points out some of the ways you can deal with these changes. Participating in The Access Project is one way, as is enrolling in our New York City case management program if you live in or receive services in New York City. There are drug discount cards, for example, that can reduce the costs of your medications. There are Patient Assistance Programs offered by many pharmaceutical companies and you might be eligible for one of those. Some of these programs pay co-payments or part of them, or even premiums and deductibles. There is a government website that lists every Medicare Part D plan that you could get (depending on your income or your age, you may be eligible for special no or very low cost plans) and what drugs must be covered by every plan, for example. Use the Request Assistance form, and please provide as much information as you can. The reason why we ask for specific information about your income or assets is to determine what programs are available. We won't share that information with anyone unless it is required to get you services or treatment, and we will always ask you first if that is okay and describe how any information would be shared. Any federal or state program will require income verification and even how much money you have in the bank or whether you own any property or assets worth more than $10,000, for example. You might want to speak with us about that before you start a process on your own. Programs such as ADAP are not just transferrable from one state to another. |
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