How ITF Helps
Patients needing an organ transplant must meet certain medical criteria and provide proof of long-term access to post-transplant medications needed to preserve the transplanted organ and the patient’s life. These vital medications and necessary follow-up medical care are only available through full health insurance coverage.
For patients unable to pay their health insurance premiums, this means they may never be listed to receive a transplant. Some kidney patients are eligible for financial support while on dialysis, but that support ends when patients no longer require dialysis.
For eligible patients, ITF assistance covers 100% of the monthly health insurance premium for the insurance plan selected by the patient. After three years, ITF works with each transplant recipient family to transition the responsibility for their insurance needs to the patient by reducing ITF support gradually, unless a patient remains unable to contribute due to financial hardship. To date, no patient has been removed from ITF support who could not afford his/her own insurance.
Eligibility Requirements
ITF reviews applications on a “first-come, first-served” basis. Assistance is subject to the availability of ITF funds. To be eligible for ITF funding, applicants must meet the following requirements.
Requirement #1
Transplant Center Approval
Requirement #2
Residency
Requirement #3
Demonstrate Financial Need
Requirement #4
Annual
Re-Certification
Demonstrate transplant eligibility at a Medicare-approved transplant center in Illinois through one of the following criteria:
- Placed on the transplant center organ transplant waiting list;
- Received a transplant within the last 12 months of application; or
- Be in the process of evaluation for transplant.
Applicants must have lived continuously in Illinois or Lake County, Indiana for a minimum of 36 months (three years) before applying to ITF for funding.
Premium assistance, if granted, will be terminated if the patient moves his or her primary residence outside of Illinois or Lake County, Indiana.
Applicants must not be eligible for any other financial insurance subsidy or government insurance program. Applicants must have a household income of less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Threshold.
All approved applicants must re-certify annually that he or she continues to meet program eligibility requirements.
