New Duchenne muscular dystrophy fund opens

The PAN Foundation today opened a new financial assistance program for people living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, providing up to $6,800 per year for eligible patients.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness and atrophy that primarily affects skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles, typically beginning in childhood.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, approximately 53,000 people are living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in the U.S. While this disease primarily affects males, in rare cases it may affect females.

“There is no cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and treatment results in high out-of-pocket costs for those affected and their families,” said PAN President and CEO Kevin L. Hagan. “Symptoms begin to present in childhood and by the teenage years, often include serious heart and breathing problems. We hope that this financial assistance will help those affected and their families to focus more on their quality of life, rather than the cost of their treatment.”

Patients who qualify are eligible to receive $6,800 per year in financial assistance to pay for the deductibles, copays, and coinsurance costs associated with their treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Eligibility requirements

To get financial assistance for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, patients must:

• Be getting treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• Have health insurance that covers the qualifying medication or product.
• Have an income that falls at or below 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

How to apply

Patients or caregivers applying on their behalf can apply for assistance using the PAN Foundation’s online patient portal. To apply on behalf of a patient, providers can use the provider portal, while pharmacists can use the pharmacy portal. A series of how-to guides are also available for the patient portal, including common tasks like creating an account and applying for assistance online.

Other patient support services at PAN

Transportation assistance

PAN grant recipients may also qualify for transportation assistance to allow them to get to and from activities that improve their overall health outcomes, including healthcare services, social connection and support, and healthy and nutritious food. Check your eligibility to learn more.

Connect with a patient support organization

People with serious health conditions—and their families and caregivers—need support beyond financial assistance. We partner with more than 20 leading patient advocacy groups to connect people to communities that can offer support with the complex physical, emotional, and practical realities of life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases.

About the PAN Foundation

The PAN Foundation is an independent, national 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to helping federally and commercially insured people living with life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases with the out-of-pocket costs for their prescribed medications.

Since 2004, we have provided more than 1 million underinsured patients with $4 billion in financial assistance. Partnering with generous donors, healthcare providers, and pharmacies, we provide the underinsured population access to the healthcare treatments they need to best manage their conditions and focus on improving their quality of life. Learn more at panfoundation.org.