The National Kidney Foundation of Arizona can provide emergency financial assistance for a variety of special needs when other sources of help are exhausted.
WHO QUALIFIES?
Basic eligibility requirements include a diagnosis of end-stage renal disease (eGFR<15), Arizona residency, and participation in an on-going treatment program (dialysis, transplant, CKD clinic).
HOW DO I APPLY?
Assistance should be requested through the patient’s social worker or dietitian.
Assistance is available through the following programs:
- Dental Care
- Utility shut-off prevention
- Medications
- Rental eviction prevention
- Transportation
DENTAL CARE
This program offers dental services for ESRD patients who are on dialysis and/or prepping for a kidney transplant. Post-transplant patients who need dental care can also apply. Orthodontic and cosmetic dental services are not provided. The goal of the dental program is to prevent poor dental health from undermining the nutritional status of patients, their ability to qualify for a transplant, and/or their quality of life.
UTILITIES
ESRD patients who encounter financial hardships sometimes need help to pay utility bills. This program allocates dollars for financial assistance with utility bills. NKF AZ works directly with the utility companies to make payment arrangements.
MEDICATIONS
This program helps ESRD patients who are not financially able to purchase their medications and do not qualify for any other government, private, or manufacturer assistance programs. The medication program is a form of short-term assistance that must be renewed every three months. The program serves as a crisis intervention, providing patients with the time needed to make financial adjustments or to apply for other coverage. To ensure cost effectiveness, coverage is limited to a restricted formulary addressing renal related issues.
RENTAL EVICTION PREVENTION
ESRD patients who encounter financial hardships sometimes need help to pay their rent. This program works with the landlord or property management company to make a payment which was missed because of extenuating circumstances. It is the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona's policy to not assist patients with payments they cannot maintain on their own.
TRANSPORTATION
This program is designed to help patients travel to and from dialysis. Assistance is available for bus fare, Dial-A-Ride tickets, taxi vouchers, and other vendors, depending on location. Assistance is also available for car payments, car repairs, and gasoline.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Dialysis patients often need more protein than the average healthy adult, because they lose protein during dialysis, and because kidney disease alters the body’s ability to use and process amino acids. This program provides protein supplements for both adult & pediatric dialysis patients to help balance the nutrition that their body needs.
Assistance is also available to individuals who are living kidney donors residing in Arizona, and who meet the financial qualifications. Please contact the Foundation for more information on living kidney donor assistance.