Fifteen hundred dollars is only a drop in the bucket against the $200,000 people diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease spend annually on medical care, but a local organization is going to provide funds that can alleviate expenses not typically covered by medical insurance.

The Central Tennessee Chapter of the ALS Association provides financial assistance to people with the fatal, progressive neuro-degenerative disease known also as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

The estimated 80-100 ALS patients in Middle Tennessee can receive $1,500 each by simply applying to ALS for the money, according to Hannah Paramore, media consultant for the local chapter.

While only a fraction of the overall costs associated with ALS care, Paramore said the funds can pay for respite care - caregivers who stay with patients - while their families take much-needed breaks or help cover the cost of a wheelchair, which can be as much as $20,000 for an ALS patient.

Robert Harris, president of the local ALS Association chapter, said, "We want to help bridge the gap for ALS patients and their families by providing financial help in very tangible ways that fit their personal situations."

The association also offers financial resource management and a better understanding of how to work with insurance providers to contain costs, said Paramore.

The ALS Association will pay financial analysis fees to Nashville-based Medical Accounts Management, which can help patients maximize their health care benefits. Margaret Smith, the company's president and founder, is the daughter of Saint Thomas Hospital physician Dr. John Johnson, who has PLS, a sister disease to ALS.

Separately, the association's inaugural Dr. John Johnson ALS Symposium April 5 at Saint Thomas Hospital will offer seminars and networking opportunities for ALS patients and their families. The local chapter can be reached at (615) 255-4454 for more information.