Frequently Asked Questions
Below are detailed answers to the questions we receive most often from patients and community members. If your question is not answered here, please call our office at (520) 555-0429 or submit an intake form and a navigator will be happy to help.
1. Do I have to pay anything for your services?
No. Every service Arizona Healthcare Help provides is completely free of charge. We do not charge consultation fees, application fees, enrollment fees, or any other costs. Our organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded entirely through grants, foundation awards, and community donations. You will never receive a bill from us, and we will never ask you for money. Our staff are salaried employees, not commission-based agents, so we have no financial incentive to recommend one program over another. Our only goal is to connect you with the best healthcare resources available for your specific situation.
2. Who is eligible for your services? Do I need to be a U.S. citizen?
Our patient navigation services are available to all residents of Pima County and surrounding Southern Arizona communities regardless of citizenship status, immigration status, age, income level, or insurance coverage. While some specific government programs like AHCCCS have citizenship or qualified immigrant requirements, many of the resources we connect patients with, including community health center sliding-scale care, manufacturer prescription assistance programs, hospital charity care, and medical debt negotiation, have no citizenship requirement whatsoever. We serve everyone who walks through our door.
3. Will you report my immigration status to ICE or any government agency?
Absolutely not. Arizona Healthcare Help is a private nonprofit organization. We do not ask for, record, or report immigration status to any government agency, law enforcement body, or immigration authority under any circumstances. Our office is a designated safe space. All client conversations and records are protected under strict confidentiality agreements that exceed HIPAA requirements. We will never contact ICE, CBP, or any immigration enforcement entity about any client for any reason. Period. If you are undocumented, we can still connect you with community health center care, emergency Medicaid, manufacturer prescription assistance programs, and hospital charity care that do not require citizenship documentation.
4. How do Prescription Assistance Programs work? Will I really get free medications?
Yes. Pharmaceutical manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) provide brand-name medications free of charge to qualifying patients. Eligibility is typically based on household income (usually below 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level), lack of adequate prescription insurance coverage, and U.S. residency. Our prescription assistance coordinator handles the entire application process including gathering documentation, completing manufacturer forms, and submitting applications. Once approved, medications are shipped directly to your home or your doctor's office every 90 days. We currently maintain enrollment partnerships with over 200 manufacturers. The most commonly assisted medications include insulin (Lantus, Humalog, Novolog), inhalers (Advair, Symbicort), blood pressure medications, antidepressants, and cholesterol medications.
5. Can you help me if I already have insurance but still cannot afford my care?
Absolutely. Being underinsured, meaning you have health insurance but cannot afford the copays, deductibles, coinsurance, or prescription costs, is one of the most common situations we see. We help underinsured patients access manufacturer PAPs for medications not adequately covered by their plan, apply for hospital financial assistance on bills where their insurance left a large balance, negotiate with billing departments for reductions, and identify whether they may qualify for better or supplemental coverage options. Having insurance does not disqualify you from most of the resources we provide.
6. Will a navigator accompany me to my medical appointments?
Yes, if requested. Appointment accompaniment is one of our core navigation services. A patient navigator can attend medical appointments with you to help you understand what the doctor is explaining, ask questions on your behalf, take notes about your treatment plan, translate between English and Spanish if needed, and ensure you receive all the referrals and follow-up care your physician recommends. We find that patients who have a navigator present at appointments are significantly more likely to follow through on treatment plans, fill prescribed medications, and attend follow-up visits.
7. I have a large hospital bill. Can you really get it forgiven?
In many cases, yes. Nonprofit hospitals in Arizona are required by federal and state law to maintain charity care programs that partially or fully forgive medical bills for patients meeting income criteria. Despite this requirement, hospitals rarely inform patients about these programs proactively. Our medical debt counselors have deep working relationships with the financial assistance departments at every major hospital in Pima County. Charity care applications submitted through our office achieve an 87 percent full-approval rate because we ensure every application is complete, properly documented, and submitted to the correct department. Even for patients who do not qualify for full charity care, we typically negotiate 40 to 65 percent reductions through self-pay discount programs and interest-free payment plans.
8. Do you provide translation and interpretation services?
Yes. Our entire staff is bilingual in English and Spanish. All intake consultations, benefits screenings, application assistance, appointment accompaniment, and phone support are available in both languages. We also translate medical documents, insurance explanation of benefits (EOB) statements, and hospital billing correspondence into plain-language Spanish to ensure you fully understand your healthcare rights and options. For patients who speak languages other than English or Spanish, we coordinate with professional medical interpreter services through our community health center partners.
9. What should I bring to my first consultation?
To make the most of your initial consultation, please bring whatever documentation you have available. This may include a government-issued photo ID (if you have one), proof of income such as recent pay stubs or tax returns, any current insurance cards, a list of your current medications with dosages, any outstanding medical bills or collection notices, and any denial letters from insurance companies or government benefit programs. However, do not let missing documents prevent you from coming in. If you do not have any of these items, we will work with what you have and help you obtain any additional documentation needed for specific program applications.
10. Do I need an appointment or can I walk in?
Both options are available. Walk-ins are welcome during our regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). However, scheduled appointments are encouraged to ensure a navigator is available to dedicate full attention to your case without a wait. You can schedule an appointment by calling our office at (520) 555-0429, submitting the online intake form on this website, or visiting us in person at 3880 South Palo Verde Road, Suite 110, Tucson, AZ 85714. Same-day appointments are often available if you call in the morning. Our office is wheelchair accessible and free parking is available directly in front of the building.
Still Have Questions?
Call us at (520) 555-0429 or visit our office. Se habla español.