I hope you and your families are well and enjoying the beginning of summer. After over a year of enduring the pandemic, I am optimistic that brighter days are around the corner.  As our physical offices slowly return to normal, The Assistance Fund (TAF) family continues to pursue its mission of providing underinsured people living with life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases access to critical treatment through financial assistance, education, and advocacy. To that end, I'm pleased to share some exciting updates with you.

As part of our continued commitment to ensuring you have access to your critical treatment, I am excited to announce that we've renewed our COVID-19 Health Insurance Assistance Program for 2021. The program provides immediate financial support for eligible TAF patients by offering grants of up to $2,500 to help you secure health insurance. Apply today at https://tafcares.org/covidprogram/.

As of June 8, 2021, more than 139 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. TAF programs and services continue to be fully operational as we transition back to our physical offices.

Three vaccines have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use. Every adult is eligible for a vaccine, and children ages 12–17 are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. To find information on your nearest vaccine location, text your ZIP code to 438829, or use CDC’s Vaccine Finder: Vaccines.Gov.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated guidance on best practices for people who are fully vaccinated: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html.

It is important to take care of your COVID-19 vaccination card. The CDC recommends taking a photo of the card for your personal records. And several supply stores like Staples offer free laminations to protect the card and make it more durable.

This spring, TAF launched its Kaleidoscope of Life Art Contest, with the goal of providing patients an opportunity to showcase their artistic talents. Thank you to everyone who entered artwork in this year's contest. We had an overwhelming number of exquisite submissions. Congratulations to the five winners and their submissions:

June:

Acute myeloid leukemia

Myasthenia gravis

July:

Graves’ disease (thyroid eye disease)

Juvenile arthritis

Parathyroid diseases

Psoriasis

My name is TaRay, and I'm TAF's Manager of Quality Assurance and Claims Management. At TAF, we strive to make the reimbursement process easy and convenient. TAF financial assistance disease programs require important insurance documentation in order to receive reimbursements.

Here is a sample health insurance premium information document. When you are submitting health insurance proof of payment, make sure the following information is clearly displayed:

Reminder: The most efficient way to submit documentation is through our electronic document uploader: https://TAFcares.org/upload. Thank you!

For more information on other types of reimbursements download TAF's Reimbursement Overview: https://tafcares.org/patients/faqs/.

The Assistance Fund will continue to attend virtual conferences until in-person gatherings begin again.

Susi didn’t always have the travel bug. She moved to Boston from Connecticut in the 1970s as an art student. Forty years later, Beantown is still home. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, Susi worked for the American Council for International Studies, an educational travel agency. It fulfilled her passion of working with people and brought the world to her doorstep.

“Through work, I’ve been to Australia, the United Kingdom, and Chile,” Susi said. “And I did a global teacher conference in Costa Rica. That was so much fun!”

In 2020, with bags packed and sights set, Susi eagerly awaited her next trip: an Italian adventure. Although the pandemic delayed the trip, Italy remains at the top of her destination wish-list.

“It was going to be my first trip to Italy,” she said. “Unfortunately, 2020 was such a crazy year.”

On top of the world-class travel, Susi’s job also provided her with excellent health benefits. It wasn’t until she lost her job in March 2020 that Susi realized how expensive her primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) medications were.

“I took for granted my monthly $30 copay,” Susi said. “Without my job, I didn’t know what to do.”

When Susi’s liver numbers spiked several years ago and was diagnosed with PBC, she was referred to a liver specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital. Thanks to her specialist’s quick thinking and effective treatment, she remains symptom-free. But without her employer-based coverage, Susi faced the horrifying prospect of going without treatment.

“I don’t know what would happen if I didn’t take my treatment,” she said. “When you’re on your own facing it, it’s difficult.”

Susi’s doctor made sure she knew she was not alone. Since her diagnosis, Dr. Lai has looked out for Susi, answering her questions and providing critical support. When Susi’s copay skyrocketed nearly tenfold, she knew where to turn.

“I’m so grateful that my doctor always goes above and beyond to keep myself and others living their healthiest lives to the fullest,” Susi said. “She’s my hero.”

Dr. Lai suggested Susi contact The Assistance Fund (TAF). Through its Primary Biliary Cholangitis Financial Assistance Program, patients like Susi have financial assistance for many of their out-of-pocket expenses for PBC, including copays, deductibles, premiums, and ground travel costs. When Susi learned TAF had approved her participation in the program, she felt an incredible sense of relief.

“It just took a load of pressure off of my shoulders,” she said. “If it weren’t for TAF, I would have had to stop taking my medication.”

For her 60th birthday, Susi finished an 80-mile bike ride in Vermont, cycling alongside women half her age. Looking ahead, Susi has a booked full schedule of cycling and camping until the pandemic subsides and she can travel abroad again.

“Thanks to TAF, I can continue following my passion,” Susi said. “I’m able to keep photographing my cycling travel adventures as well as the people I meet along the way!”

Would you like to be featured in an upcoming newsletter? If you have received assistance from The Assistance Fund and would like to share your story, please contact TAF Communications Manager Mark Meier at Mark.Meier@tafcares.org.

Our new planned giving website provides resources for you to plan a gift that fits your future retirement strategies.

You can:

Visit our new website today to start planning your legacy!

Makes 12 scones

Time: 30 minutes

Nutritional Information:

142 calories;

Fat: 4g

Saturated fat: 3g

Trans fat: 0g

Monounsaturated fat: 1g

Polyunsaturated fat: 0g

Dietary fiber: 2g

Sodium: 134mg

Carbohydrates: 25g

Protein: 2g

Sugars: 10g

Ingredients:

Tip:

To roast the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the pumpkin pieces on the baking sheet, drizzle two teaspoons of olive or canola oil on top, cover tightly with foil, and place in the oven. Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until thoroughly tender. Remove from the heat, transfer to a strainer or a colander set over a bowl or in the sink, and allow to cool and drain. Peel the pieces, and purée in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.

Advance preparation: These will keep for a couple of days well wrapped or in a cookie tin.