9th December 2025
Sometimes the biggest barrier to getting a new prosthetic isn’t the device itself, or insurance, or fitting challenges – it’s getting to the place that offered it.
“It’s a five-hour drive,” “I can’t afford the gas… let alone the hotel.” are just a few of the reactions I’ve heard from our community when they learn a clinic is a bit too far for them.
Luckily, there are charities in the United States that help cover both! If you need financial assistance to help cover costs of getting a prosthetic arm, we have a guide from our Success Manager Sarah Lockey you can download for free. If you need support with any additional prosthetic costs including travel please see our list below.
Steps of Faith helps uninsured and underinsured amputees get prosthetic limbs and they can assist with travel-related expenses tied to prosthetic care. Their mission is simple: no one should go without the device they need because of money.
Limbs for Life is one of the most recognized prosthetic assistance programs in the U.S. They fund lower-limb prosthetics for folks with no other payment options and collaborate with clinics nationwide—sometimes helping patients coordinate travel or connect to partner resources that can assist.
This network includes groups like:
While each program is a little different, many help with reduced-cost devices, donated materials, and sometimes necessary travel or shipping.
Some organizations go the extra mile when it comes to supporting young people.
Open Bionics Foundation!
The charity is run with a number of trustees who review applications for funding support. The non-profit also runs annual Big Hero 3 campaigns to support families to reach their goals of getting a bionic arm through a mixture of crowdfunding and grants. If you would like to be referred to the foundation please let your prosthetist know when you go through your consultation.
Born from tragedy to help trauma survivors, this foundation assists with specialized prosthetics and sometimes the travel and logistics around them.
Focused on children who have experienced traumatic limb loss, this group provides ongoing support—including help with the needed devices themselves and associated costs.
Shriners may be one of the most well-known providers of free prosthetic care for kids. While their assistance with travel varies by facility, many families find that they support both the prosthetic process and the logistics involved.
For veterans, the pathway to prosthetic care can be confusing even overwhelming. Thankfully, several groups work specifically to help.
This organization offers free ground and air transportation for veterans and their families traveling to medical or prosthetic appointments. They remove the single biggest obstacle many face: getting to the care they deserve.
Focused on wounded service members, they provide adaptive equipment and can cover transportation grants to get veterans to the services and technology they need.
SoldierStrong helps veterans access advanced rehabilitation technology and may assist with travel in certain cases. If your prosthetic needs require specialized care, they’re a key contact.
Sometimes the prosthetic itself is covered—but the travel still stands in the way. These organizations help fill that gap:
Launched in 2024, this new fund provides up to $500 for travel to necessary medical appointments, which may include prosthetics. If you’re underinsured or paying out of pocket, this is a powerful new resource.
This isn’t a traditional “grant” program—it’s community-based medical fundraising. But here’s the magic: donations raised through Help Hope Live can be used to pay for travel, lodging, and prosthetic-related expenses. They’re especially helpful when insurance doesn’t cover everything (which… let’s be honest… it rarely does).
If you’re staring down a daunting decision around prosthetic care looking at the map, the miles, the money, and wondering how on earth you’ll manage it, I hope this list gives you a breath of relief.
There are people and organizations ready to walk this path with you. And rest assured, Open Bionics continues to grow, bringing quality clinics with personalized care closer and closer to your location. We will be there for you, one step at a time along your journey!
If you’re feeling ready to take the first step or even if you’re just curious about any latest funding support out there, we’d love to talk. You can book a call with us directly with a local qualified prosthetist. We can’t wait to meet you and help you begin your bionic journey.
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