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Rx for Access
Online resource that helps patients better understand health coverage options, choose the right coverage, manage the denial process and reduce health care costs.
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Do I Have Arthritis?
Think you may have arthritis? Learn about the four most common warning signs.
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Gout is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can come and go.
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  • About Arthritis
    Common Topics
    woman holding her wrist What Is Arthritis?

    Arthritis is not one disease. Learn about the different types of arthritis, how they differ and why it’s important.

    microbes Inflammation and the Immune System

    Body-wide inflammation is at the root of most chronic diseases — and you may have more control over it than you think.

    Patient talking with nurse Newly Diagnosed With Arthritis

    A new arthritis diagnosis can be overwhelming. These tips can help.

    • Understanding Arthritis
    • Arthritis Types
    • More About Arthritis
    • Where it Hurts
    • Related Conditions
  • Treatments
    Common Topics
    Woman holding shoulder Webinar: Touch Therapies for Pain Management

    Learn the evidence behind popular touch therapies for arthritis, including what to try and what to avoid, for how long and when.

    Managing Arthritis Care Costs

    Learn the basics about health care costs and financial tools available to you.

    Man with head in hands on bed Webinar: Arthritis Fatigue Causes and Solutions

    Learn the various causes of arthritis-related fatigue and strategies to combat weariness.

    • Treatment Plan
    • Drug Guide
    • Joint Surgery
    • Complementary Therapies
    • Insurance Management
  • Healthy Living
    Common Topics
    Woman with upset stomach Microbiome, Gut Health & Arthritis

    Microbiome, microbes, microorganisms – these terms may be confusing, but the types of bacteria living in and on our bodies can impact arthritis. Learn what helps or harms the microbiome and the health of your gut and discover dietary changes that can make a difference. This episode was originally released on January 19, 2021.

    man exercising Stairs Workout Demo

    Strengthen your leg muscles and improve your stability to make going up and down stairs safer and easier.

    woman consoling another Arthritis and Mental Health

    Learn about the connection between arthritis, depression and anxiety and how these conditions can make your arthritis worse.

    • Ease of Use Products
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  • Juvenile Arthritis
    Common Topics
    2023 JA Family Summit

    Learn about the National Juvenile Arthritis Conference, a place for families to connect, share and learn.

    JA Camps

    The Arthritis Foundation’s JA camp programs give kids with arthritis and related childhood rheumatic diseases the chance to make lasting memories.

    Juvenile Arthritis Volunteer

    • About Juvenile Arthritis
    • Treatment
    • Managing Pain
    • Medical Decisions
    • Nutrition
    • Emotional Well-being
  • Professionals
    Common Topics
    Transforming Clinical Interactions

    The Live Yes! Arthritis community connects patients with others online and in-person for support and education, and encourages patients to play an active role in their health care.

    Partners 4 Patients with Arthritis

    The Arthritis Foundation recently launched an initiative to build stronger relationships and increase recognition of our most engaged practices.

    Fellowships

    See how we're aiming to address the growing shortage of arthritis specialists, especially in under-served parts of the country.

    • Better Living Toolkits
    • Our Issue Briefs
  • Science
    Common Topics
    OACS Forum Series

    The Osteoarthritis Clinical Studies Forum Series features OA thought leaders from across the globe discussing the future of how the disease can be treated to improve patient outcomes.

    man bandaging boy's knee Conquering Childhood Arthritis

    The Arthritis Foundation is mobilizing patients and their families to engage in studies comparing the effectiveness of treatments for juvenile arthritis and funding research for more options.

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    Common Topics
    Capital hill Action Center

    Take action today - use the resources here to learn who your elected officials are, what opportunities we have to advocate from the comfort of your own home, federal and state legislation, and more!

    LiveYes! Insights thumbnail Live Yes! INSIGHTS

    Share your experience in a 10-minute assessment to be among those changing the future of arthritis.

    woman listening to podcast Live Yes! Podcast

    You may have arthritis, but it doesn't have you. The Arthritis Foundation’s one-of-a-kind podcast. Hosted by patients, for patients.

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How to Change Unreasonable Insurance Rules

Tricia’s story is like many others trying to make arthritis coverage more affordable

My name is Tricia Mershon, and I live with my family in Corona, California. At the age of 3, my daughter, Rachel, was found to have a dysfunctional immune system. Her tiny body failed to mount a response to infection, and various disease specialists were able to document the phenomenon but unable to pinpoint a cause.

Just before ninth grade, Rachel’s fingers curved into a funny “s” shape and looked different than those of anyone else. When she began having pain in her feet, knees and hips, which sometimes made walking difficult, Rachel was promptly referred to rheumatology, and we found the real culprit. At 14, Rachel was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic (rheumatoid) arthritis. She began aggressive treatment to halt the progression of this insidious disease.
“Copay assistance saved us financially and helped my daughter access the care she desperately needs.”



Like many families with loved ones taking a specialty medication, we have relied on copayment assistance to help my daughter access her medicine. Without her biologic, she couldn’t be as active as she is today. But when my husband changed jobs, we enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, which has a higher deductible than a traditional plan. Although the monthly premium is lower, you must pay your share before your insurance kicks in. Copay assistance saved us financially and helped my daughter access the care she desperately needs.

Recently, we faced a barrier we’d never experienced before: an accumulator adjustment program. We were using a pharmaceutical copay card, which used to count toward satisfying the deductible. But this year, we discovered that was no longer the case. After filling our first prescription, not one cent of it counted toward our out-of-pocket spending. To add insult to injury, we weren’t notified of the change until almost two months into the plan year, and our accumulator adjustment program ONLY applies to specialty medications – the most expensive tier in prescription drug plans. With this realization, I immediately deactivated the copay card.
“Accumulator adjustment programs basically render copay assistance worthless. Since the medication is so expensive, benefits would be exhausted within 2-3 months with $0 counted toward our out-of-pocket spending. ”

But that wasn’t the end of our story. The pharmacy reactivated our copay card without our knowledge or permission. As a result, we’ve had to pay additional out-of-pocket. Since there are no generic or biosimilar alternatives to my daughter’s biologic, this policy change disallowing copayment assistance from crediting our deductible will cost us $7,350 more per year, EVERY year!

It’s not just the costs of the therapies that are burdensome. The time spent on the phone trying to resolve this has been overwhelming. While trying to keep our daughter stable on this medication, we’ve had to figure out how to navigate the accumulator adjustment program alone.
“We cannot state forcefully enough how concerned we are about how Rachel will be able to afford her medication once she is an independent adult.”



Rachel, now 21, is a college student. Due to her hard work in high school, she earned the Arthritis Foundation's Winterhoff Scholarship! Over the past several years, we’ve developed relationships with our legislators, going to Washington, DC, and the state capitol in California, to advocate for those with arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation’s training has been invaluable, helping Rachel find her voice to tell her story with confidence.

If your family has an experience that sounds like mine, sharing your story is so important. You can join us in helping raise awareness to others who might be going through this.

Here are some actions you can take:

  • Share your story through the Arthritis Foundation! Your experience keeps us better informed to help us advocate together. The Live Yes! Arthritis Network brings us all together.

  • Consult your health plan materials and call your insurer to ask questions. If you have been affected by this type of policy and have had to switch to another drug, or have been unable to fill your prescription, tell your insurer. They won’t know unless you tell them.

  • Tell your employer, too . They may not understand the negative impact it could mean for their employees and dependents. Contact your organization’s human resources or benefits specialists.

  • If you are unable to afford your prescription drugs, patient assistance programs may help. Visit the Arthritis Foundation’s Access to Care toolkit for help navigating all aspects of health coverage.












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    Proud Partners of the Arthritis Foundation make an annual commitment to directly support the Foundation’s mission.

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Ways to Give

Every gift to the Arthritis Foundation will help people with arthritis across the U.S. live their best life. Whether it is supporting cutting-edge research, 24/7 access to one-on-one support, resources and tools for daily living, and more, your gift will be life-changing.

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Help millions of people live with less pain and fund groundbreaking research to discover a cure for this devastating disease. Please, make your urgently-needed donation to the Arthritis Foundation now!

Become a Member

Become an Arthritis Foundation member today for just $20 and you'll receive access to helpful tools..... and more.

Make a Honor or Memorial Gift

Honor a loved one with a meaningful donation to the Arthritis Foundation. We'll send a handwritten card to the honoree or their family notifying them of your thoughtful gift.

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I want information on ways to remember the AF in my will, trust or other financial planning vehicles.

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Volunteer


Volunteer Opportunities

The Arthritis Foundation is focused on finding a cure and championing the fight against arthritis with life-changing information, advocacy, science and community. We can only achieve these goals with your help. Strong, outspoken and engaged volunteers will help us conquer arthritis. By getting involved, you become a leader in our organization and help make a difference in the lives of millions. Join us and become a Champion of Yes.

Become a Volunteer

More About Volunteering

  • Walk to Cure
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  • JA Camp
  • Start a Live Yes! Connect Group
  • Be an Online Community Moderator
  • Local Leadership Board

Live Yes! INSIGHTS


Give Just 10 Minutes.

Tell us what matters most to you. Change the future of arthritis.

By taking part in the Live Yes! INSIGHTS assessment, you’ll be among those changing lives today and changing the future of arthritis, for yourself and for 54 million others. And all it takes is just 10 minutes.

Your shared experiences will help:

- Lead to more effective treatments and outcomes
- Develop programs to meet the needs of you and your community
- Shape a powerful agenda that fights for you

Now is the time to make your voice count, for yourself and the entire arthritis community.

Currently this program is for the adult arthritis community.  Since the needs of the juvenile arthritis (JA) community are unique, we are currently working with experts to develop a customized experience for JA families.

How are you changing the future?

By sharing your experience, you’re showing decision-makers the realities of living with arthritis, paving the way for change. You’re helping break down barriers to care, inform research and create resources that make a difference in people’s lives, including your own.

Get Started

Partner


Meet Our Partners

As a partner, you will help the Arthritis Foundation provide life-changing resources, science, advocacy and community connections for people with arthritis, the nations leading cause of disability. Join us today and help lead the way as a Champion of Yes.

Trailblazer

Our Trailblazers are committed partners ready to lead the way, take action and fight for everyday victories. They contribute $2,000,000 to $2,749,000

Visionary

Our Visionary partners help us plan for a future that includes a cure for arthritis. These inspired and inventive champions have contributed $1,500,00 to $1,999,999.

Pioneer

Our Pioneers are always ready to explore and find new weapons in the fight against arthritis. They contribute $1,000,000 to $1,499,999.

Pacesetter

Our Pacesetters ensure that we can chart the course for a cure for those who live with arthritis. They contribute $500,000 to $999,000.

Signature

Our Signature partners make their mark by helping us identify new and meaningful resources for people with arthritis. They contribute $250,000 to $499,999.

Supporting

Our Supporting partners are active champions who provide encouragement and assistance to the arthritis community. They contribute $100,000 to $249,999.

More About Partnerships

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