The Hill: Getting to treatment should be the least of a patient’s worries
Information about this website: Following the March 2026 merger of Patient Advocate Foundation and the PAN Foundation, this website is now a part of Patient Advocate Foundation and remains active during our website transition.
Where to find information during our transition:
- About the merged organization: uniting.patientadvocate.org
- Financial assistance: totalassist.org
- Additional direct patient services and resources: patientadvocate.org
- Education: panfoundation.org and education.patientadvocate.org
- Clinical trials education: clinicaltrials.panfoundation.org
- Advocacy: npaf.org
- Research: patientinsightinstitute.org
In 2017, 5.8 million Americans delayed medical care because they did not have transportation, according to social scientist and researcher Mary Katherine Wolfe of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That’s equivalent to the entire population of Colorado having to go without medical care.
If transportation to and from appointments and pharmacy pick-ups isn’t available, seniors won’t start and stay on treatment and many will face greater health challenges. Amid a global pandemic, the need for safe and reliable transport is even more urgent. This is making charitable patient assistance programs even more essential, but more help is needed.