Uniting for Patients: Helping More Americans Navigate, Access and Afford Health Care

Patients nationwide are facing rising barriers to care, growing affordability challenges and a weakened health care safety net. The need for support has never been greater, which is why on March 3, 2026, Patient Advocate Foundation and the PAN Foundation announced a strategic merger, creating the nation’s most comprehensive nonprofit dedicated to helping patients navigate, access and afford their care.

Over a combined 50 years, the foundations have helped 3.8 million patients access and navigate care, granted more than $7 billion in financial assistance and provided personalized case management support to more than 350,000 patients. By uniting for patients—as Patient Advocate Foundation—we’re making it easier to get financial help, navigate the health care system, and overcome barriers to treatment.

Why is the time right to come together?

Recently, Patient Advocate Foundation's Patient Insight Institute conducted a national cross-sectional survey of more than 4,200 Medicare patients who received assistance from Patient Advocate Foundation or the PAN Foundation in 2025. The goal was to better understand the financial burdens they face with their care.

Survey findings show that for many, health care costs are rising, forcing difficult care-related decisions.

• In the past 12 months, one out of three patients experienced challenges accessing prescribed care or treatment due to copay, coinsurance, or deductible costs.
• Most patients have seen a slight or significant increase in their costs associated with health care insurance premiums (71%), direct care from providers (59%), and prescription medications (58%) over the past 12 months.
• If costs were to increase, 53% of patients would be somewhat or very likely to skip, reduce or stop taking medications.

Affordability challenges have also contributed to the 15% increase in enrollments to our financial assistance programs in 2025. And a new analysis finds that with foundation support, abandonment rates from high-cost therapy among Medicare enrollees drops significantly. It’s clear that the need for charitable foundation support is growing, and the impact we can have on medication adherence and access to care is significant.

What does this mean for patients?

As a combined organization, Patient Advocate Foundation brings all current programs and resources into one place, including financial assistance funds, personalized case management services, award-winning education, patient advocacy and engagement programs, research, health equity initiatives and community engagement work. Regardless of insurance status, age, income or diagnosis, patients and families can get the support they need, when they need it.

We will continue to offer our current financial assistance programming (PAF’s Co-Pay Relief Program and PAN’s financial assistance programs) to new and existing patients through June 2026. Patients currently enrolled in these programs will continue to access their services through their current organization, with no changes to their grants. Starting in July, we’ll launch a unified financial assistance program, known as TotalAssist, that will be available for all new and renewal enrollments.

Under TotalAssist, we will offer more than 130 disease-specific financial assistance funds for chronic and rare conditions, creating the nation’s largest portfolio of financial assistance programs. Through TotalAssist, patients will be able to use their grant for a comprehensive set of needs, including:

• Medication copay, coinsurance and deductibles
• Health insurance premiums
• Office visit charges the day of treatment
• Administrative charges related to treatment

What’s next for Patient Advocate Foundation?

Integration planning is underway to ensure seamless continuity for patients, providers and supporters.

Meanwhile, we’re excited about what’s to come. As a combined foundation, we look forward to expanding services, simplifying access and reaching millions more Americans facing the growing health care access and affordability crisis.

Learn more about the strategic merger and follow ongoing updates at Uniting.PatientAdvocate.org.

Alan Balch, Ph.D., is CEO and incoming executive chairman, board of directors, Patient Advocate Foundation.

Kevin Hagan is president and CEO, PAN Foundation, and incoming CEO, Patient Advocate Foundation.