Resource Types: Books Fact Sheets inMotion Articles First Step Articles Web Resources   Online Library Find other related resources by searching our online library.

Funding

June 2005

People with limb loss have particular information needs. Topic of the Month is a resource guide of information relevant to amputees. Click on the links below to access articles and Web sites directly. Many of the books and videos can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.

Many more resources can be found by searching our online library. Please feel free to share this resource with those who may find this useful. We also welcome your comments and topic suggestions! Contact us via e-mail at library@amputee-coalition.org.

« View Other Topics

Books

Paying the Bills: Tips for Families on Financing Health Care for Children with Special Needs / Susan G. Epstein, Alexa S. Halberg, and Ann B. Taylor, eds.; in collaboration with New England SERVE Regional Task Force on Health Care Financing. 2nd ed. Boston: New England SERVE, 1999. This publication by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in cooperation with the New England SERVE and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, contains information on making public programs work, tackling medical bills, influencing decision-makers, changing decisions, finding other sources of funding, important terms to know when dealing with healthcare professionals and insurance companies, and connecting with other families. It also contains three appendices providing examples of online assistance, Social Security information, and a sample letter.

The National Financial Resource Guide for Patients: A State-by-State Guide / Patient Advocate Foundation. 2nd ed. Newport News, VA: Patient Advocate Foundation, 2002. This guide has four sections. The first section lists the names, addresses, phone numbers, and a brief description of government, federal, and national agencies that assist people and their families facing financial crisis due to a debilitating illness. The second section lists the 50 states and local resources. The third section contains alphabetical listings of pharmaceutical manufacturers that have programs that provide medications for free, or at reduced cost, to people who are unable to afford them. Also provided are organizations whose main functions are to assist people with applying to these patient assistance programs. The fourth section includes fundraising ideas.

Back to Top

Fact Sheets

ACA Annual Meeting Funding Possibilities / by Patricia J. Isenberg, MS, COO. Revised 2004 ed. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2002. If funds for travel, hotel, and/or registration for ACA's Annual Educational Conference and Exposition seem beyond your current resources, here are some thoughts on possible ways to obtain funding.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/funding_ann_mtg.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/funding_ann_mtg.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/funding_ann_mtg.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/funding_ann_mtg.pdf

Financial Assistance for Prostheses and Other Assistive Devices / compiled by NLLIC Staff. Revised 2004 ed. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2003. This fact sheet offers information about organizations that provide assistance to individuals who are otherwise unable to afford prosthetic care. Each organization has its own methods of providing services and requirements for eligibility.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/assist_orgs.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/assist_orgs.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/assist_orgs.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/assist_orgs.pdf

Housing Modification: Low-Interest HUD-Sponsored Loans / by Paula Marlow. Revised 2004 ed. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, [200-]. This fact sheet presents information about HUD-sponsored loans and includes a listing of toll-free numbers.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/housingmodification.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/housingmodification.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/housingmodification.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/housingmodification.pdf

How Do I Get Help From My Congressional Representatives? / compiled by NLLIC Staff. Revised 2004 ed. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, [200-]. This fact sheet gives ideas for ways to seek help from your Congressional Representatives.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/congresshelp.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/fact_sheets/congresshelp.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/easyread/fact_sheets/congresshelp-ez.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/easyread/fact_sheets/congresshelp-ez-spa.html

Back to Top

inMotion Articles

“Have you Read your Insurance Policy Lately?” / Frank Stewart. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2003. inMotion, May / June 2003. This article looks at basic terms you may see in insurance policies, the types of insurance plans available, and provides answers to some common insurance questions.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_03/insurance.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_03/insurance.pdf

“Here's to Heroes” / Nancy Carroll. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2002. inMotion, July / August 2002. From the Greek, the word “hero” means to watch over, to protect. Though we usually think of a hero as one person, groups of people working together can also be termed "heroes" for their selfless acts of generosity and courage. This article gives information about heroic organizations that have enabled thousands of people all over the world to reclaim their lives with dignity after amputation.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/jul_aug_02/heroes.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/jul_aug_02/heroes.pdf

“Medicare O&P Reimbursement: Part 1 of 3” / Brad Rosenberger. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2000. inMotion, May / June 2000. Reimbursement for orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services from Medicare has become an ever-increasing challenge for both the professional caregiver and the recipient of the services. This is the first of a three-part series that discusses the process.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_00/medic.html

“Medicare O&P Reimbursement: Part 2 of 3 - Your Claim is Denied: What's Next?” / Brad Rosenberger. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2000. inMotion, July / August 2000. Karyn Schibanoff, reimbursement specialist for AOPO, states, "Congress is focusing more attention on reducing the cost of healthcare to the Medicare program. Claims being submitted to them are now undergoing scrutiny. More denials are being handed out than ever before. It is very important that you understand why your claim was denied and what options you have." This article examines each of the five categories most denials fall under.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/jul_aug_00/medic.html

“Medicare O&P Reimbursement: Part 3 of 3 - Can I Have a Cadillac?” / Brad Rosenberger. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2000. inMotion, September / October 2000. Historically, Medicare has had no internal qualifying standards that relate which components or procedures would be appropriate for which levels of amputation, until recently. With the introduction of the K-modifiers, we now have functional level determinants to help organize components and the amputee's access to them. They range from K0-K4.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_00/medic.html

“Monetary Help for Education and Employment” / Julie Weist. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2002. inMotion, September / October 2002. This article looks at funding issues related to education and employment when one has a disability.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_02/monetary.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/sep_oct_02/monetary.pdf

“'Squeaky Wheel' Gets Fully Funded Prosthesis ” / inMotion Editorial Staff. Knoxville , TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 1997. inMotion, October / November 1997. After some active support from the ACA, concerned intervention from Limbs for Life, and more than a little applied pressure, a Kansas City amputee is now looking forward to a fully funded prosthetic limb. Not only is turnabout fair play, it can be extremely welcome news.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/oct_nov_97/squeaky.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/oct_nov_97/squeaky.pdf

“When Your Insurance Claim is Denied” / David McGill. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2003. inMotion, May / June 2003. This article, written by an attorney, looks at some steps to go through if your insurance claim is denied, including filing an appeal.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_03/denied.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/may_jun_03/denied.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/first_step_2003/when-insurance-claim-is-denied.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/first_step_2003/when-insurance-claim-is-denied.pdf

“Winning the Reimbursement Game With ACA's Help” / Casey Patrick. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 1999. inMotion, January / February 1999. The story of Danny Stein, who was initially denied coverage for his bilateral prostheses by his insurance company. With help from the ACA, he was eventually given coverage for the prostheses.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/inmotion/jan_feb_99/reimb.html

Back to Top

First Step

“In Search of Funding” / Bill Dupes. Knoxville, TN: Amputee Coalition of America, 2003. First Step: A Guide for Adapting to Limb Loss, 2003. This is a listing of the types of assistance that amputees might be able to obtain for assistive technology, financial aid for their education, home, school and office modifications, adaptive driving equipment, and funding for a variety of needs.

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/first_step_2003/in-search-of-funding.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/first_step_2003/in-search-of-funding.pdf

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/first_step_2003/in-search-of-funding.html

http://www.amputee-coalition.org/spanish/first_step_2003/in-search-of-funding.pdf

Back to Top

Web Resources

Aid to Families with Dependent Children Program: Fact Sheet / Office of Family Assistance. Washington, D.C.: Administration for Children and Families, [19--]. Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) provides transitional financial assistance to needy families. Federal and state governments share in its cost.

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/afdc/afdc.txt

BenefitsCheckUp: A Service of the National Council on the Aging . Washington, D.C.: The National Council on Aging, [200-]-. BenefitsCheckUp helps thousands every day to find programs for people ages 55 and over that may pay for some of their costs of prescription drugs, healthcare, utilities, and other essential items or services. It contains over 1,100 different programs from all 50 states (including the District of Columbia). On average, 50 to 70 programs are available to individuals per state. In addition to identifying the programs that a person may be eligible to receive, BenefitsCheckUp also provides a detailed description of the programs, local contacts for additional information (typically the addresses and phone numbers of where to apply for the programs), and materials to help successfully apply for each program.

https://ssl2.benefitscheckup.org/

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services . Baltimore, MD: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, [200-]. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human services. CMS runs two Medicare and Medicaid national healthcare programs that benefit about 75 million Americans.

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/

Challenged Athletes Foundation . Del Mar, CA: Challenged Athletes Foundation, 1997. The Challenged Athletes Foundation was created in the belief that people of all abilities should have the opportunity to pursue a life full of physical activity and sports. As one of the very few charities that provide grants directly to athletes with a physical disability, the Challenged Athletes Foundation has raised over 2.7 million dollars and directly assisted 875 challenged athletes worldwide. A small endowment fund has also been created to ensure challenged athletes will always have a place to go for funding.

http://www.challengedathletes.org/

Directory of State Title V CSHCN Programs: Eligibility Criteria and Scope of Services / Deanna Dearholt Lamar and John G. Reiss, eds. Gainesville, FL: Institute for Child Health Policy, 2002-. This is a directory of state Title V programs that provide health and support services to children with special needs and their families.

http://cshcnleaders.ichp.edu/TitleVDirectory/directory.htm

FastWeb: Free Scholarship and College Searches plus Financial Aid Tools and More! Chicago : FastWeb, 2002. FastWeb can help you find money for college, get expert tips on financial aid, find your dream school, and get more information from colleges looking for you.

http://fastweb.monster.com/

Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities . [ Anchorage, AK]: Parents, Inc., [200-]-. This is a list of financial aid sources whose primary criterion for obtaining a scholarship is that the student has a disability.

http://www.parentsinc.org/finaid/finaid.html

GiveTech.org . San Francisco, CA: GiveTech.org, Inc., 2003-. This nonprofit organization works to give financially disadvantaged people with severe physical disabilities assistive technology for computer access. There is an assistance application on the site.

http://www.givetech.org/

Higher Education Information Center: Financial Aid FAQs for Students with Disabilities . Boston, MA: Higher Education Information Center, [200-]-. A listing of financial aid FAQs for students with disabilities. Topic areas include general information, vocational rehabilitation agency services, applying for financial aid, and educational loans.

http://www.tericollegeaccess.org/plan/advdis.html

Informed Consumer's Guide to Funding Assistive Technology . [ Silver Spring, MD: ABLEDATA], 2001. This guide provides sources of information to help negotiate the maze of funding for assistive devices for those with disabilities.

http://www.abledata.com/abledata_docs/funding.htm

Jaipurfoot: An Organization Giving Help & Hope to People with Disabilities with its Jaipur Limb Technology in India and Abroad . New Delhi, India: Jaipurfoot.com and Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, 2000-. This site is run by the Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti organization. The organization, located in India, provides lower-extremity artificial limbs (the Jaipur Foot/Limb) to those in India who cannot otherwise afford them.

http://www.jaipurfoot.org/

Limbs for Life Foundation: Helping Amputees Worldwide . Oklahoma City, OK: Limbs for Life Foundation, 2001-. The mission of the Limbs for Life Foundation is to benefit amputees by providing comfortable and fully functional prosthetic care for individuals who cannot otherwise afford it.

http://www.limbsforlife.org/

Medicare.gov: The Official U.S. Government Site for People with Medicare . Baltimore, MD: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, [200-]-. This site is devoted to providing quality information about Medicare.

http://www.medicare.gov/

National Amputation Foundation, Inc . [ Anchorage, AK: Parents, Inc., 199-]. This Web site offers information on scholarship(s) offered by the National Amputation Foundation, Inc. They are for high school students who have a major limb amputation and who will be attending college full-time as an undergraduate.

http://www.parentsinc.org/finaid/aid7324.html

National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR) . Bethesda, MD: National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, [200-]-. The mission of NCMRR is to foster development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life of persons with disabilities.

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/ncmrr/ncmrr.htm

Prosthetics Outreach Foundation . Seattle, WA: Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, [199-]-. Prosthetics Outreach Foundation (POF) is an international, humanitarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring mobility and independence to disadvantaged amputees worldwide.

http://www.pofsea.org/index.html

Rebuilding Together . Washington, DC: Rebuilding Together, April, 1998-. The nation's largest volunteer organization, they are preserving and revitalizing low-income houses and communities with particular emphasis on elderly, disabled, and families with children.

http://www.rebuildingtogether.org/

Social Security Online: The Official Web Site of the Social Security Administration . Baltimore, MD: Social Security Administration, [199-]-. This is the official, comprehensive Social Security Web site, providing information about the SSA, benefits information, how to apply, and much more.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/

Technology Assistance / National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, 1996-. This program, funded under Title I of The Assistive Technology Act of 1998, supports consumer-driven grants to states. Currently there are 82 projects that provide statewide, comprehensive technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities of all ages. The purpose of the program is to increase and improve access to assistive technology devices and services through public awareness and information, advocacy, outreach, technical assistance, training, and interagency coordination.

http://www.ncddr.org/relativeact/statetech/

Technical Assistance Project: State Contact List / RESNA. Arlington, VA: RESNA Technical Assistance Project, [199-]-. This is a listing of states funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394). Contact information for each state program is provided, including address, phone number, fax number, and Web address.

http://www.resna.org/taproject/at/statecontacts.html

The Abilities Fund . Centerville, IA: The Abilities Fund, 2002-. The Abilities Fund is the first and only nationwide community developer and financial lending institution targeted exclusively to advancing entrepreneurial opportunities for Americans with disabilities.

http://www.abilitiesfund.org/

Barr Foundation Amputee Assistance Fund (BFAAF) : The Barr Foundation . Gainesville, FL: O&P Digital Technologies, Inc., 2000-. The purpose of the Barr Foundation Amputee Assistance Fund is to purchase prosthetic limbs for amputees who cannot otherwise afford them. The creation of the fund was made possible by a generous donation from the Barr Foundation.

http://www.oandp.com/resources/organizations/barr/index2.htm

The Medicine Program . Doniphan, MO: The Medicine Program, 1996-. This organization was established by volunteers dedicated to alleviating the plight of an ever-increasing number of patients who cannot afford their prescription medication. In cooperation with the physician, the Medicine Program assists patients who may qualify to enroll in one or more of the many patient assistance programs now available.

http://www.themedicineprogram.com/

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services . Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, [19---]-. This is the official site for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.