Where Can I Get Medical Treatment for My 9/11-Related Cancer or Illness?

9/11 World Trade Center Health Program Treatment

Where can you get 9/11 cancer or other medical treatment? Once you enroll and are accepted into the WTC Health Program with our help, you get 100% free  healthcare for “certified 9/11 conditions” and free pharmacy benefits. Both the New York metropolitan area and across the country have world class medical institutions that accept WTC Health Program benefits.  If you have a certified 9/11 cancer, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, among others,  is an “In Network” provider. This treatment  is all at no cost to you or your family. This medical benefit alone, even without additional money compensation, makes filing both a WTC Health Program and a 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund claim worth your time. 

You can access WTC Health Program's medical care and treatment at any of the World Trade Center Health Program's  Clinical Center's of Excellence  throughout New York and New Jersey. There are different clinics of excellence for either “responders” or “survivors."

Understanding Your Pharmacy Benefits

When you enroll in the WTC Health Program, you can receive free prescription and drug costs. Optum is the Pharmacy Benefits Manager for the WTC Health Program. The program partners with Team MCA to provide prescription benefits for all certified 9/11 conditions. There are over 65,000 pharmacies located across the United States to assist members with their prescription concerns. There is even a convenient mail-order program WTC Health Program members can access. 

If you are a “Responder”, the WTC Health Program will be the primary payer for your prescription drugs. If you are in the “Survivor” program, it is important to know that all pharmacy bills must first go through your primary insurance before you can bill them to the WTC Health Program. This is because pharmacy benefits are secondary and this program coordinates with your primary healthcare provider to reduce and eliminate your out-of-pocket medication expenses. The name for this is Coordination of Benefits.

Here Is How Coordination of Benefits Works:

Suppose your doctor prescribes you an antibiotic and a steroid to help you battle chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) . The pharmacy you use will need to bill the cost of these medications through your primary health insurance plan first. This includes private insurance, group health plans, Medicare, and Medicaid. Any remaining costs will go through the WTC Health Program so you will not have to pay any out-of-pocket copayments. Bottom line – you should never be out of pocket for prescriptions related to your 911related illness.

You can locate a retail pharmacy near you through Optum’s Pharmacy Locator or you can call them at 1-855-640-0005, option 2.

If you prefer to use mail order for convenience and privacy, you can register for this service through Optum’s WTC Health Program Home Delivery site https://wtchomedelivery.optum.com or calling 1-855-640-0005, option 2.

Medical Care for 9/11 First Responders

For more information about the Clinical Centers of Excellence for first responders, please call 1-888-982-4748. If you need more information, see a full list of covered 9/11-related cancers and illnesses here.