If you or someone you love is seriously ill and needs to be transported to a medical center for treatment that’s not close by, what are your options? There are several organizations that offer free or low-cost travel for patients, through charitable donations such as:
- Angel Flight West arranges free, non-emergency air travel for children and adults with serious medical conditions and other compelling needs. The organization consist of 1,600 pilots throughout 13 western states who donate their aircraft, piloting skills and all flying costs to help families in need.
- Air Charity Network is an organization that provides access for people who are seeking no-cost air transportation to specialized healthcare facilities or distant destinations due to family, community, or national crises. Air Charity Network serves all 50 states and its volunteer pilots utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for people who are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation.
- Corporate Angel Network helps cancer patients access the best possible treatment by arranging free travel to treatment across the country using empty seats on corporate jets. Eligibility to participate in the program is open to all cancer patients, bone marrow donors and bone marrow recipients who are ambulatory and not in need of medical support while traveling. Eligibility is not based on financial need, and patients may travel as often as necessary.
- Miracle Flights for Kids helps families overcome financial obstacles by flying their seriously ill children to receive proper medical care and to get second opinions.
- Mercy Medical Airlift helps those in need of medical access transportation.
- National Patient Travel Center provides information about all forms of charitable, long-distance medical transportation and provides referrals to all appropriate sources of help available in the national charitable medical transportation network. The purpose of the National Patient Travel Center is to ensure that no financially needy patient is denied access to distant specialized medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment simply because they lack a means of traveling long-distance.
- The Volunteer Pilots Association (VPA) provides flights to people in need who must travel to receive necessary medical treatment.
For more free and low-cost health resources, visit The Healthcare Survival Guide website.
