Financial Aid for Diabetes & Neuropathy

Much of the financial aid for diabetes and neuropathy patients is related to financial need and what the federal and state Medicaid programs define as low-income patients. Some, however, will help pay for college or other educational costs.

Definitions

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugar. The body produces insufficient insulin (used by the body in the process of converting sugars to energy) or cannot process it efficiently. Treating the disease requires careful monitoring and control of blood-sugar levels.

Neuropathy is damage to nerve endings in the peripheral nervous system (hands and feet), characterized by numbness, tingling or pain. One of its main causes is chronically high blood sugar.

Examples

Examples of educational assistance include the Diabetes Hope Foundation, which offers scholarships to Canadian-resident students with diabetes, and the Novo Nordisk Donnelly Awards, which offer scholarships for teen tennis players living with diabetes.

Examples of medical financial assistance include the Medicare program, which offers health care to diabetic seniors, and the Medicaid program, which offers medical care to low-income diabetes patients.

Legislative Help

On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Affordable Care Act, which puts into place comprehensive health insurance reforms. The provisions of this law, most of which will be phased in between 2010 and 2014, promise more health care choices, as well as enhanced quality and lower costs of health care for all Americans.

References

• Children with Diabetes: Scholarships and Financial Aid
• Medline Plus: Diabetes
• Medline Plus: Peripheral Neuropathy
• Our Sports Central: 2010 Novo Nordisk Donnelly Awards Winners Announced
• American Diabetes Association: Medicaid