Where can I find help with medical bills?
Candid does not give grants/donations, suggest specific funders, or approach them on your behalf. More about Candid’s mission. Please refer to the tips and websites in this article.
Most forms of assistance for housing, medical bills, or other personal expenses such as debt relief will come from charitable organizations or government assistance programs, rather than grants from foundations. Foundation grants are generally awarded to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Those that give grants to individuals typically do so to help pay for education or to support artistic or research projects.
If you need funds urgently, more immediate resources for funding may be available in your area, including government agencies, local organizations, and gifts or loans from generous individuals. You might also contact your elected officials to ask about government-sponsored or other programs for which you may be eligible.
See our related Knowledge Base articles:
- Where can I find funding for personal expenses?
- Where can I find help with emergency housing costs?
- How can we raise money for a person or family in need?
- How can I find funding for seniors, veterans, or people with disabilities?
More Knowledge Base resources on the topic of individual grantseekers
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Staff-recommended websites
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Connecting People and Programs
Aunt Bertha
Aunt Bertha picks up where Uncle Sam leaves off by making it easy to find food, health, housing and education programs.
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BenefitsCheckUp
Developed and maintained by The National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is a Web-based screening service for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources.
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National Eye Institute
Financial Aid for Eye Care
Resource list of programs providing financial aid to assess or treat an eye problem.
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Staff pick
National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics (NAFC)
Find a Free or Charitable Clinic
Provides a searchable directory of nonprofit clinics that offer free or low-cost medical, dental, pharmacy, vision and/or behavioral health services to economically disadvantaged individuals.
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HRSA.gov
Find a Health Center
HRSA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a searchable list of centers that provide health and dental care to people of all ages, whether or not they have health insurance or the money to pay for health care.
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National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Finding Low Cost Dental Care
Resources for low-cost dental care including clinical trials, dental schools, and more.
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Pocket Sense
How To Start A Fundraiser For Medical Bills
Medical costs can be frightening. A major illness can devastate a family's finances when insurance is not adequate. Sometimes family members and friends can come to the aid of an individual who finds himself in the throes of a serious medical problem that has disastrous financial implications by putting together a fundraiser.
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Staff pick
Fiscal Tiger
Medical Debt Resources
Lots of helpful links for people struggling with the high cost of medical care. Resources include a healthcare finance glossary, tips to find free and low-cost clinics and information on spotting and disputing billing errors. A special section provides medical debt information for veterans, active military and their families.
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NeedyMeds
Information on programs to help people find low- or no-cost prescription medications.
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Staff pick
Patient Advocate Foundation
Patient Advocate Foundation is a nonprofit organization that seeks to safeguard access to care, maintenance of employment, and preservation of financial stability for patients facing life threatening or debilitating diseases. Also provides fundraising ideas for patients and those involved in their care.
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National Organization for Rare Disorders
RareCare
NORD provides assistance programs to help patients with rare diseases obtain life-saving or life-sustaining medication they could not otherwise afford. These programs provide medication, financial assistance with insurance premiums and co-pays, diagnostic testing assistance, and travel assistance for clinical trials or consultation with disease specialists.
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Remote Area Medical
Remote Area Medical (RAM) is a nonprofit that sets up free mobile medical clinics in remote areas of the U.S. and around the world. The clinics, staffed by volunteer licensed medical professionals, provide free medical, dental and eye care to anyone who comes. The website has a schedule to see if there is a clinic operating near you. It also runs the RAM Veterinary Program.