NDAD has received a $2,500 grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield North Dakota’s Caring Foundation to purchase new durable medical equipment for NDAD’s Healthcare Equipment Loan Program (HELP).

The program allows anyone with a disability or health issue to borrow durable medical equipment free of charge for 90 days from NDAD’s offices in Grand Forks, Minot, Fargo and Williston.  People borrow equipment when they are recovering from surgery or injury, have a short illness, want to try equipment before buying or are awaiting insurance coverage or other program assistance.

“Thanks so much to Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Caring Foundation for its support of HELP,” said Leslie Stastny, NDAD’s chief program officer. “We will be able to assist numerous individuals with their equipment needs because of the foundation’s generous donation.”

NDAD loaned 2,482 pieces of equipment to 1,296 individuals in 2016 – an estimated savings of $478,000 versus having to pay equipment out of pocket.

The North Dakota Caring Foundation was established in 1989 by Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota as part of its effort to make affordable health care available to all North Dakotans.  Its mission statement is to operate exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, for the benefit of the economically disadvantaged residents of North Dakota by providing support for programs designed to improve the quality, awareness of, and availability of health care.

More information about NDAD HELP is available at /services/equipment/. Or, learn more by contacting your nearest NDAD office:  /contact/.