YES, ABSOLUTELY! Here are some below that I have either used, confirmed, or had friends who have used. At the time of this writing the information was current but these programs change all the time. If you become aware of any changes in names, numbers, etc. to the programs listed below please let me know so we can update the information. After talking with many patients, that SouthWest seems to be the easiest program to use and the Airline that offers more patients the best deal. They are very helpful and always seem willing to go the extra mile to aid patietns in need. I would suggest trying them first. Also it is important to note that many of these programs begin in January and have a set budget so quite a few may be out of money come October or November so once you know you have a need, get your request in early!


American Airlines Frequent Traveler Special Program
Attention: Miles for Kids 
M.D. 1394 
P. O. 619616 
Dallas Fort Worth Airport, TX 75261-9616
1-800-433-7300
Debbie Ryan Fax: 817-931-6890

Operation Lift Off TWA
Contact persons: Liz Martin, Brian Zahorik
Phone: 314-895-5563, Fax: 314-895-5550

Skywish Delta Airlines
Contact person: Ruth Ann Robinson 
Phone: 703-836-7112, ext 285
This is run by United Way of America.

Southwest Charitable Ticket / Southwest Airlines
Contact person: Debbie Wafford at 214-792-7943 For information, this line will explain how to get the forms. Once you fill out the form, send it in, one from you and one from your Doctor. They review the forms, then make their decision and contact you. If they approve they will send the patient one free round-trip ticket and sometimes will send vouchers towards the loved ones ticket if that person is needed at the treatment. Need to do this WAY in advance because it is a busy program.

AirLifeLine - is funded in part by Ronald McDonald's House of Charities. This is an organization of experienced pilots that provide free round trip air transport for needy adults and children who require care and are able to travel. 
Phone: 1-800-446-1231 Small 4-seater aircraft with limited range of approximately six hours flying time. Very helpful.

National Patient Air Transport Helpline
The NATIONAL PATIENT TRAVEL HELPLINE provides information about all forms of charitable, long-distance medical air transportation and provides referrals to all appropriate sources of help available in the national charitable medical air transportation network. Provides information and referrals for those who must find a way to travel considerable distances for specialized evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and/or recovery necessitated by illness or accident. PatientTravel.org is a continuation of the original National Patient Air Travel HELPLINE (NPATH) site which has been serving patients since 1998. This site now receives more than 4,000 visits per month. The availability of charitable, long-distance medical air transportation in the U.S. is growing rapidly. More than 41,500 patients and their escorts will be served during calendar year 2005. This web site is a service of the National Patient Travel Center - the facility housing all the programs of Mercy Medical Airlift - a national charity. The Center is in Virginia Beach, Virginia and provides a variety of services to those seeking a way to travel long-distances for specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. 

The National Patient Travel HELPLINE can be reached on 1-800-296-1217. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Information on this web site can also help you understand the availability of resources that help patients in time of transportation need. Thank you for allowing us to be of service.
Phone: 1-800-296-1217
http://www.patienttravel.org/

Mercy Medical Airlift and Children's Transport for life (see connection above)
Phone: 1-888 675 1405
Jean was who I dealt with. Fantastic organization! They take basic information from you including fax number for your Doctor, details on your flight needs. They fax a form to your Dr for basic diagnosis and "fitness to fly". Then call you back once they receive the ok to fly and arrange the details on the flight. Even arranged flights for loved one with no problem. Highest marks!
http://www.mercymedical.org/

Angel Flight
Angel Flight® America (AFA) provides access for people in need seeking free air transportation to specialized health care facilities or distant destinations due to family, community or national crisis. Will provide free air transportation up to 1,500 air miles for those who are in need of medical treatment. 
Santa Monica, CA
http://www.angelflightamerica.org/
Email: info@angelflight.org
877-621-7177
http://www.bridges4kids.org/Disabilities/Transport.html

Children's Flight of Hope, Inc.
130 Edinburgh South Drive, Suite 203, Cary, NC 27511
Non-profit organization that will provide free air transportation to and from a medical facility for treatment to children with critical medical needs.
Cary, NC
http://www.childrensflightofhope.org/
Email: info@childrensflightofhope.org
phone: (919) 466-8593
fax: (919) 460-8160

U.S. Department of Transportation Air Travel Hotline
Toll Free Hotline for air travelers with disabilities. Air travelers who want information about the rights of persons with disabilities in air travel or who experience disability-related air travel service problems may call the Hotline to obtain assistance at 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY).

RELIEF FUND FOR PATIENTS
Patient Advocate Foundation's Co-Pay Relief Program (CPR) is pleased to announce the launch of a pain fund to serve patients suffering with chronic pain, beginning on February 1, 2009. As with the Program's existing disease silos, breast, lung, kidney, colon, pancreatic, head and neck and/or prostate cancers, malignant brain tumor, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodsyplastic syndrome, osteoporosis, sarcoma, diabetes, autoimmune disorders and chemo induced anemia and neutropenia, patients must financially and medically qualify to access co-payment assistance. Patients and providers can contact the Co-Pay Relief Program toll-free at 1-866-512-3861 to initiate a request for assistance. In addition CPR also offers providers the opportunity to enroll patients into the program through a secure web based application service. Interested patients and providers should visit the program's website at www.copays.org to register. 

Patients who contact CPR for assistance work directly with a call counselor throughout the application process to complete a pre-populated application for review and signature by the patient. The call counselor works with the patient as well as with the provider of care to obtain necessary medical, insurance and income verification in an expeditious manner. The ability to efficiently move patients through the application process to approval affords the patient the ability to utilize their healthcare coverage and obtain the therapy benefit in a timely manner for the management of their disease. Once deemed medically and financially eligible for assistance, funds can be provided directly to the insured patients' medical and/or pharmaceutical providers. In special cases, patients may receive the funds directly. Additionally, since office practice managers and billing coordinators continually work with patients to interpret and confirm insurance coverage levels and co-payment amounts, they can be helpful in recognizing those patients most in need of financial assistance and refer them to our program.

For More Information:
PAF Co-Pay Relief Program
Patient Advocate Foundation

Charity Programs that Help Pay Your  Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Copays

MEDICARE RIGHTS CENTER
Some charities pay a portion or the cost of your Medicare prescription copays. What these charities pay will count 

towards the $4,550 in out-of-pocket costs you must spend (not including premiums) before you get catastrophic coverage 

in 2010. However, for it to count, you must fill the prescription at a pharmacy in your drug plan’s network and it must be 

for a drug on your Medicare drug plan’s list of covered drugs (“formulary”). These programs are also available to peo- 

ple who are not enrolled in a Medicare drug plan. 

CLICK HERE FOR CHART SHOWING ORGANIZATIONS AND HOW THEY CAN HELP! 

Spousal Communication Impacts Partner’s Pain Coping

Released: 11/30/2011 1:00 PM EST 
Source: American Pain Society
Newswise — GLENVIEW, Ill., Nov. 30, 2011 -- Chronic pain suffered by one spouse can affect marital communication and influence the partner’s ability to cope with a chronic pain condition, according research reported in The Journal of Pain, published by the American Pain Society,www.ampainsoc.org.

Psychological research has shown that how a spouse or partner responds to an individual’s behavior affects how and when emotions are expressed. For example, validation of a partner’s emotions by showing respect and acceptance promotes effective emotional regulation, trust and closeness. Conversely, invalidation of emotions, demonstrated by hostility or ignoring, increases emotional distance and is correlated with poor marital adjustment and depression.

In their study, researchers from Wayne State University and the Norwegian Center for Addiction Research tested how the sequences and base rates of couples’ affective interactions were related to pain and emotional adjustment in both partners. They hypothesized that invalidating behavior followed by invalidation by either partner would be related to more severe pain, less marital satisfaction and depression.

Conversely, invalidation followed by a validating or neutral remark would be associated with better adjustment. They also expected that that the association of spousal behaviors and pain adjustment would be significantly stronger when the wife is the pain patient, based on previous research showing that women react more profoundly to pain and affective communication than men.

Couples for the study were recruited in a Midwestern U.S. city through newspaper advertising. They were eligible to participate if one spouse had a musculoskeletal pain condition lasting more than six months. The initial sample had 78 adults with chronic pain and their spouses. Women comprised 58 percent of the pain patients studied. Low back pain was the most frequently mentioned site of the worst pain and the leading diagnoses were osteoarthritis, disc problems and fibromyalgia.

Study subjects participated in a three hour interview sessions in which the final 15 minutes were devoted discussing a disagreeable topic, such as family finances. Each partner was interviewed about their perspectives on the problem topic and the couples were instructed to discuss and make progress toward resolving the issue.

Results of the analysis showed that husbands with pain are more likely to respond negatively to spousal invalidation. So, contrary to the study’s hypothesis, men, either as patients or spouses, appeared to be more sensitive to their partners’ responses. This finding contradicts previous research showing that women are more likely to experience greater pain, distress and depression. The authors noted that perhaps pain is disruptive to a husband’s traditional roles, such as being the family provider, causing him to be more vulnerable for emotional upheaval from spousal invalidation behaviors.

From a clinical perspective, the authors believe their research shows patient gender is an important factor when assessing and treating pain patients and couples. Interventions, therefore, should be aimed at the couple, not just the pain patients, in order to help reduce invalidating behaviors and remarks and disruptive responses to them. Empathy training was recommended.

About the American Pain Society 
Based in Glenview, Ill., the American Pain Society (APS) is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering. APS was founded in 1978 with 510 charter members. From the outset, the group was conceived as a multidisciplinary organization. The Board of Directors includes physicians, nurses, psychologists, basic scientists, pharmacists, policy analysts and others. For more information on APS, visitwww.ampainsoc.org.