Patient Access Network Foundation and Mended Hearts announce new alliance to provide support for people living with heart failure and hypercholesterolemia
For immediate release
PAN Foundation contact:
Margaret Figley, Director of Communications
Phone: 202-661-8074
E-mail: mfigley@panfoundation.org
Washington, DC, (July 28, 2016) – The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation and Mended Hearts today announced they are launching a new alliance to offer a broad spectrum of support for people living with heart failure and hypercholesterolemia. Working together, the PAN Foundation and Mended Hearts will ensure that people living with heart failure and hypercholesterolemia have access to both financial and patient support services, providing them with the holistic support to best manage their disease.
“At PAN, we aim to alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with illnesses like heart failure and hypercholesterolemia,” said PAN President and CEO Dan Klein. “We are pleased to join forces with Mended Hearts to link patients with more comprehensive support, including the largest peer-to-peer heart patient support network in the world.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 5.7 million adults in the United States have heart failure, and 73.5 million adults have high blood pressure.
“We are pleased to expand our patient support services by working with PAN,” said Mended Hearts Executive Director Michele Packard-Milam, CAE. “Navigating a heart failure or hypercholesterolemia diagnosis can be complicated. Financial pressures can add to feelings of stress and frustration, and our partnership with PAN will help ease the financial burden for many of our patients.”
To qualify for the PAN Foundation’s heart failure and hypercholesterolemia programs, patients must be getting treatment for heart failure or hypercholesterolemia; must reside and receive treatment in the United States; must have Medicare health insurance; and the medication for which they seek assistance must be covered by Medicare and must treat the disease directly. See below for specific program information:
| Assistance Program | Maximum Award Level | Income Eligibility Criteria |
| Heart Failure | $1,500 per year | Patient’s income must fall at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level |
| Hypercholesterolemia | $12,500 per year | Patient’s income must fall at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level |
Patients, or advocates and caregivers applying on their behalf, can apply for assistance using the PAN Foundation’s online patient portal (www.panapply.org), or by calling 1-866-316-7263, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. To learn more about PAN’s more than 50 disease-specific programs, visit panfoundation.org.
About Mended Hearts
Mended Hearts is the largest heart patient support network in the world, with 20,000 members and 300 chapters. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience, Mended Hearts partners with hospitals and cardiac rehab clinics to offer support through visiting programs, group meetings and educational forums. Mended Hearts inspires hope and improves quality of life for heart patients and their families through ongoing peer-to-peer support. For more information or to locate a chapter, visit mendedhearts.org, call 888-HEART-99 or email at info@mendedhearts.org.
About the PAN Foundation:
The PAN Foundation is an independent, nationwide 501(c)3 organization dedicated to providing help and hope to underinsured patients who are unable to afford the out-of-pocket expenses for their prescribed medications. Since 2004, PAN has provided nearly $2.4 billion in financial assistance to more than 605,000 patients who would otherwise be unable to afford their medications. To learn more, visit www.panfoundation.org.