The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) is a national, volunteer, non-profit, joint program of the Disability Rights Legal Center and Loyola Law School Los Angeles. The CLRC provides cancer survivors, caregivers, health professionals, employers and others living with cancer with free information and resources on cancer-related legal issues. The CLRC has a toll-free national hotline where callers can obtain free and confidential information about laws and resources relevant to their particular situation. Call (866) 843-2572 or (212) 736-1455 for more information. This is a free appointment-by-appointment service that helps cancer patients and their caregivers prepare important legal documents for future health planning. Having documents on site, getting too sick to express your desires, will help your healthcare team and loved ones take care of you in a way that suits your desires and values. Specially trained law students and pro bono counsel help patients create advance directives, including health care powers of attorney and a living will. Our legal clinic can also help you prepare a continuing power of attorney (also known as a general power of attorney). In addition, be aware that very few plaintiffs prevail in court when they claim that their employers are not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and are not meeting their professional needs as a person with cancer.
A 2001 study published in the journal Human Resource Management reviewed six years of U.S. Court of Appeals and Supreme Court decisions and found that most plaintiffs who sue fail. Are you looking for more information about your legal rights? Here are some general resources that may help: Local, voluntary, and/or faith-based service organizations such as Catholic charities, Jewish social services, Lions Club, Lutheran social services, the Salvation Army, and others can offer financial assistance. Some of these organizations offer grants to cover treatment costs and other expenses, while others help with specific services or products such as travel or medication. A social worker or an internet search can provide you with a list of organizations. Many hospitals and cancer centers also maintain a list of these service organizations in the community. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, through its Patient Assistance Program, can help some families pay for gas and parking for outpatient treatment. This help is only for people with blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma).
There is a limit to the amount of financial assistance for each patient and family for each year. Ask your team social worker about this program or contact the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at 1-800-955-4572 or visit www.lls.org. Here are some ideas where you can get help with some of the costs associated with cancer treatment. In this section, we discuss how to deal with financial and insurance issues. You`ll learn about the different types of health insurance, the laws that govern health insurance in the United States, and how to manage the cost of cancer treatment. For cancer patients, this may seem like a double danger. In addition to treating health issues, there may be legal issues on your way to recovery. Many of the legal issues reported by cancer patients focus on employment. Problems may include a boss who doesn`t accommodate you as under federal law. But other legal issues can also be problematic, including housing issues, credit issues, guardianship of minor children, and health insurance issues. If you feel like you`re facing a scam, talk to a lawyer or your doctor for advice. In addition to the advice you can get from your medical and legal service providers, here are some additional resources: The American Cancer Society is the national community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health issue by preventing cancer, saving lives, and reducing cancer suffering through research, education, advocacy and service.
Another way to find programs for free or discounted legal advice is to look at www.lawhelp.org. You can click on a list from one state to another and select your problem, such as work, housing, family, bankruptcy, disability, immigration. When you go to government websites, the available resources contain specific information about what is available and for whom. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a support program for low-income people. It provides monthly money to pay for food, clothing, housing, utilities, transportation, telephone, medical care not covered by Medicaid, and other basic needs. (TANF also helps states provide training and employment to people participating in social assistance programs.) A social worker can inform you of your state`s plan or contact your local health or welfare department. You can visit them online at www.hhs.gov/answers/programs-for-families-and-children/what-is-tanf/index.htm. For additional help finding or paying for the dental services you need in your area, check to see if your cancer centre or cancer doctor has a social worker or navigator who could guide you to local resources. The American Cancer Society`s Hope Lodge offers free accommodation to people with cancer and their caregivers when they are treated in another city. There are currently 30 Hope Lodge locations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Sometimes cancer treatment is given away from home. Many treatment centers have short-term residential centers or discount programs set up with motels and hotels nearby. The clinic`s social worker or oncology nurse may know about low-cost housing during treatment at the hospital or clinic. For practical help, there is no substitute for a social worker or navigator who works with and knows your community well. You can suggest resources to help you with healthcare, transportation, accommodation, food, and other needs. Find one through your oncologist or nurse. CancerCare provides information, resources and support to help people living with cancer address legal concerns, including insurance and workplace issues. The American Cancer Society and the local United Way office can also ask people to serve in their communities.
Each year, more than 1.6 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed in the United States alone. These statistics mean that most people will be affected by a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives, whether for themselves or for someone they love. When you are diagnosed with cancer, life seems to have stopped. As you delve into the realities of your treatments, medications, doctor`s appointments, and the rest of your life with cancer, you might be surprised that your rights, from financial rights to workers` rights, are not protected from the realities of cancer. At RetailMeNot.com, we want you to know that as a cancer patient, you really have rights so that you can get to work to protect those rights while fighting this disease and recovering health. An internship in the Legal and Risk Department offers students the unique opportunity to work in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Although we are a non-profit organization, the legal and risk department works in the same way as an in-house legal department in a large for-profit company.