About our work

• Charitable patient assistance: Through our TotalAssist program, we provide financial help to pay for eligible out-of-pocket healthcare costs. This help is awarded as a gift based on financial need, not as a loan or discount program.
• One-on-one case management support: Our case managers work directly with patients and their families to address health insurance problems and navigate the healthcare system.
• Additional resources: We create accessible, actionable, and patient-centered education informed by the lived experiences of the people we serve.

Learn more about how we support patients.

Our education work is shaped by the real questions and challenges people face when navigating the healthcare system.

We listen to patients and communities to understand what they need. Then we create clear, practical resources that meet them where they are on their health journey.

The education we create goes beyond explaining complicated healthcare topics. It helps people understand their options, ask the right questions, and feel more confident navigating the healthcare system.

Patient Advocate Foundation was founded in 1996 by Nancy Davenport-Ennis. She became involved in changing laws to help people with cancer after seeing her dear friend, Cheryl Grimmel, face breast cancer and battles with her insurance company. In our first year, volunteer case managers helped 157 patients from a small, 10-by-10-foot warehouse office.

Hear our Founder, Nancy Davenport-Ennis, tell the story in her own words.

Patient Advocate Foundation is the nation’s most comprehensive nonprofit dedicated to helping patients navigate, access, and afford their care while improving the healthcare system for all. We provide financial assistance to help patients afford treatment and cost of living needs, personalized case management to navigate complex healthcare and social needs challenges, and a wide array of resources to empower people to take charge of their health.

Since our founding in 1996—and joining forces with the PAN Foundation in 2026—we have helped more than 3.8 million people access and navigate care, granted over $7 billion in financial assistance, provided personalized case management support to over 350,000 patients, and elevated the patient’s voice to drive improvements in the healthcare system.

Learn more at Uniting.PatientAdvocate.org