COPD Financial Assistance

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects millions of individuals and families in the U.S., often requiring ongoing treatment, oxygen therapy, hospitalizations, or a transplant need – all of which can result in extensive medical bills. While health insurance can help, many families face large expenses not fully covered by their plan.

If you or a loved one is living with COPD and wondering how to cover the associated costs, you are not alone. In this post, learn common costs to expect, what may not be covered by insurance, and how to find help through our nonprofit’s medical fundraising platform.

Estimated Costs for COPD Treatment

The following statistics help to highlight how easily someone living with COPD can face an overwhelming medical cost burden just to stay alive. Diagnoses like COPD rarely exist completely isolated from other medical challenges, conditions, and treatment needs, which means someone living with COPD may quickly incur additional related medical costs.

A 2017-2018 survey of adults aged 45 and older found that the average annual medical costs for someone living with COPD in the U.S. is around $19,449. Of that total, prescription drugs alone account for about $6,145 per year.
While people living with COPD may have multiple diagnoses or medical needs, COPD-specific costs add an annual financial burden of $4,322 per patient. That includes $1,887 for COPD-related prescription medications.

Insurance may help with some of the costs associated with COPD. Out-of-pocket direct medical expenses for patients with COPD average 7.5% of total COPD-specific costs, or roughly $325 yearly, with prescription drug out-of-pocket costs averaging 11.3% or $212 per year.
These out-of-pocket averages don’t take into consideration the related costs that most individuals and families with COPD may face, many of which may not be covered by insurance. See some examples of those costs in the next section.

Common COPD-Related Medical Expenses

Beyond direct medical expenses and prescriptions, COPD patients are often responsible for a variety of related costs that insurance may not fully cover, including:

• Health insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays
• Travel expenses for rehabilitation and treatment
• Relocation or moving expenses related to the diagnosis (such as in the case of moving to be closer to a rehabilitation center or hospital for treatment)
• Temporary housing due to relocation
• Mileage, tolls, and parking fees for visits to rehabilitation center or hospital
• Home health care services
• Physical therapy and vocational rehabilitation
• The potential need for a single or double lung transplant
• Maintenance and rescue inhaler medications
• Supplemental oxygen therapy and equipment

The Financial Impact of Lung Transplant for COPD

For some individuals with severe COPD, standard treatments may not be enough to manage symptoms or preserve lung function, leading doctors to recommend a lung transplant.

Lung transplantation is a complex and costly procedure, often requiring a lengthy evaluation, long waiting periods, and significant out-of-pocket expenses before, during, and after surgery.

The financial burden of a lung transplant can be immense, including pre-transplant testing and donor matching, frequent medical appointments, post-transplant medications to prevent organ rejection, and ongoing rehabilitation.

These factors add additional pressure for families already coping with the emotional, physical, and financial burdens of advanced COPD.

Does Insurance Cover COPD Costs?

Some COPD-related expenses may be covered fully or partially by insurance. However, even with strong coverage, many patients find that out-of-pocket costs remain a significant burden.

Securing Financial Support for COPD

Our mission at Help Hope Live includes offering hope and help to individuals managing COPD by providing support through community-based medical fundraising.
We can equip you with the tools and guidance needed to rally community support for expenses that insurance won’t cover. We believe your care should come first—not the cost.

How Does Fundraising for COPD Work?

The fundraising process with our nonprofit starts with a few simple steps:

1. Complete a short campaign request at helphopelive.org/get-started/apply
2. We will contact you if community-based fundraising is a possible option
3. You’ll be paired with a Client Services Coordinator
4. Your Coordinator will provide you with one-on-one fundraising help, including personalized materials and guidance on rallying your community, sharing your story on social media, reaching out to the press, planning in-person or virtual fundraising events, and much more

How Is Help Hope Live Different from GoFundMe?

Help Hope Live offers unique advantages:

• Verifying your medical need for complete donor confidence
• Enabling donations that are tax-deductible
• Providing one-on-one fundraising help
• Managing all funds raised to protect your state-based benefits (funds raised are not considered personal income/assets to you)
• Paying bills directly allows you to focus on treatment and recovery

Does Community-Based Fundraising for COPD Work?

Thousands of individuals and families have funded critical medical needs with Help Hope Live’s trusted medical fundraising support, including individuals living with COPD or a COPD-related transplant need.

“In four years, my team has raised over $75,000! And we're not finished.”

Rachelle Ledbetter waited for years for a transplant to fight debilitating lung disease. In 2021, she received a double-lung transplant and started the next chapter of her life. That new beginning was fueled by her loving community of support through a Help Hope Live fundraising campaign. Today, Rachelle is an Ambassador for Help Hope Live, helping other individuals facing lung disease or a transplant need to rally their community and fuel hope.

“I am alive and well and able to do things I wasn't able to do for years. It couldn't have been possible without the support from my friends, family and co-workers and acquaintances.”

John Miller required an urgent double lung transplant to survive multiple diagnoses. His family turned to Help Hope Live to assist with associated costs, including an estimated $10,000 in post-transplant anti-rejection drugs during his first year alone. The fundraising campaign raised nearly $23,000 in 6 months.

Ready to seek COPD financial support for yourself or someone you love?