Financial Resources
Covering the costs of transplant requires careful financial planning, and insurance may not cover all the costs. As part of our efforts to reduce barriers to transplant, we offer financial planning tools and grant programs to help patients with the cost of transplant. We also work with insurance companies and government officials to deepen the understanding of the coverage needs for all transplant patients.
Financial Planning
If transplant is a treatment option for your patient, we can help them learn about their insurance coverage and prepare financially for transplant. Patients can visit BeTheMatch.org/Patient to learn about transplant costs, get tips on how to work with their insurance company and access financial planning resources and tools.
Financial Assistance
Be The Match offers two grant programs - the Search Assistance Fund and the Transplant Support Assistance Fund - that can provide financial relief to your patients. Transplant centers within our Network can apply for these funds on their patient's behalf. There are eligibility requirements and a review process in place to determine how to allocate the funds. Learn more about these Patient Assistance Programs (PDF) and how they can help BMT patients overcome financial barriers.
Search Assistance Funds
For patients without insurance coverage for search-related costs, Search Assistance Funds can help cover the costs of searching the Be The Match Registry®. If approved, grant funding is sent directly to the transplant center to get the donor search process started quickly for optimal outcomes.
Transplant Support Assistance Funds
Transplant Support Assistance Funds help pay for some costs during the first twelve months after transplant that are not covered by insurance. These funds can be helpful with costs related to temporary housing, food, transportation and co-pays.
For clinicians referring patients to a transplant center, ask the transplant center if your patient may be eligible. Patients can visit BeTheMatch.org/Patient to learn about these Patient Assistance Programs.
Medicare Coverage for MDS patients undergoing HCT
Medicare patients with MDS can receive claims coverage from Medicare for HCT through a clinical study approved by the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) under the Coverage with Evidence Development (CED).
Our research program, CIBMTR (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research) opened a CMS-approved clinical study to prospectively compare outcomes of allogeneic HCT in MDS patients ≥ 65 years of age with outcomes in younger patients. Visit CIBMTR.org for enrollment information.