Cancer Legal Care

TO ENGAGE THE LAW TO RESOLVE THE COMPLEX CHALLENGES FACING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY CANCER.

IN 2023, CANCER LEGAL CARE'S (CLC) LEGAL CARE PROGRAM (LCP), OUR LARGEST COMBINED PROGRAM, PROVIDED FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO A TOTAL OF 633 MINNESOTANS WHO HAD A COMBINED 831 DIFFERENT LEGAL MATTERS OUR BIGGEST YEAR OF DIRECT SERVICE PROVISION IN OUR 16-YEAR HISTORY. THE BIGGEST AREAS OF NEEDED LEGAL CARE WERE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE, ESTATE PLANNING, AND INSURANCE COVERAGE ISSUES. AS HAS BEEN THE TREND FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, A GROWING NUMBER OF CLIENTS HAVE STAGE IV CANCER. IN 2015, 26% OF OUR CLIENTS WERE STAGE IV. IN 2023, 58% OF OUR CLIENTS WERE LIVING WITH STAGE IV CANCER. THE LCP IS DESIGNED TO HELP OUR CLIENTS MAINTAIN FINANCIAL SECURITY AND FAMILY STABILITY EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. THE FOLLOWING IS A BREAKDOWN OF CLIENT LEGAL NEEDS AND AREAS OF LEGAL CARE PROVIDED: - 17%-INSURANCE COVERAGE (HEALTH INSURANCE, SHORT/LONG TERM DISABILITY)- 12%-HOUSING AND FINANCIAL (EVICTION, FORECLOSURE, CREDITOR ISSUES, BANKRUPTCY) - 8%-EMPLOYMENT (ADA/MHRA DISCRIMINATION/REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, FMLA) - 22%-LEGAL PLANNING (HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES, GUARDIANSHIP, WILLS, POWERS OF ATTORNEY) - 33%-PUBLIC BENEFITS (SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, MEDICAID) - 8%-OTHER (IMMIGRATION, TAX, FAMILY).71% OF OUR CLIENTS NEEDED ADVICE OR INFORMATION ON A PARTICULAR LEGAL ISSUE OR POINT OF CONFUSION (WHY AM I NOT GETTING PAID FOR MY FMLA TIME OFF? CAN I BE FIRED BECAUSE OF MY CANCER? AM I ELIGIBLE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS?) 19% OF OUR CLIENTS NEEDED EXTENDED LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN LARGER, ONGOING MATTERS (A COMPLEX INSURANCE APPEAL DENYING THEIR TREATMENT BASED ON MEDICAL NECESSITY, CREATION OF AN ESTATE PLAN INCLUDING GUARDIANSHIP FOR THEIR MINOR CHILDREN, APPLICATION ASSISTANCE FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS). FOR THESE LONGER PERIODS OF ENGAGEMENT, A CLC STAFF ATTORNEY OR ONE OF OUR 70+ VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS WILL TAKE THE MATTER ON.OUR CLIENTS IN 2023:- WOMEN 58%, MEN 41%, NON-BINARY/TRANSGENDER 1%- 48% HAVE A HOUSEHOLD INCOME UNDER 200% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES- AFRICAN AMERICAN 9%, AI/AN 1% ASIAN 3%, HISPANIC 4%, MULTIRACIAL 1% ME/NA 1% UNKNOWN 4%, WHITE 77%- 75% RESIDE IN THE TWIN CITIES METRO; 25% IN GREATER MINNESOTA- 41% LIVE ALONE- 23% HAVE MINOR CHILDREN IN THEIR HOME AND CARE- 84% ARE STILL OF WORKING AGE- 58% ARE LIVING WITH A STAGE IV CANCER (70% IF COUNTING ONLY THOSE WHO KNOW THE STAGE OF THEIR CANCER)- 33% SOUGHT HELP WITH A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFIT ISSUE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT BENEFITS ISSUE (UP FROM 17% IN 2022).CANCER LEGAL CARE WAS FORTUNATE TO RECEIVE FUNDING IN 2023 FROM THE SHAVLIK FAMILY FOUNDATION TO PARTNER WITH OUR CLIENTS AND CANCER SURVIVORSHIP RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA, TO CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE CLIENT SURVEY AS WE PLAN FOR THE YEARS AHEAD.WHAT WE WERE EAGER TO KNOW: - WHAT WAS AND WASN'T WORKING WITH OUR PROCESS OF PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES, - HOW EFFECTIVE OUR SERVICES ARE AT ANSWERING THEIR QUESTIONS AND HELPING TO RESOLVE THEIR LEGAL ISSUES, - BARRIERS THEY FACED IN ACCESSING LEGAL SERVICES, - THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH CANCER'S FINANCIAL TOXICITY, - CONFIDENCE IN APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS.WHAT WE LEARNED:THE SURVEY WAS DESIGNED BASED ON KEY THEMES IDENTIFIED BY CLC CLIENT INTERVIEWS. THE SURVEY WAS THEN MAILED USPS TO 430 RECENT CLC CLIENTS WITH THE OPTION OF ANSWERING THE SURVEY ONLINE (LINK PROVIDED) OR VIA THE PAPER COPY WITH RETURN POSTAGE PROVIDED. 120 SURVEYS WERE RETURNED WITH 113 (26%) BEING INCLUDED IN ANALYSIS (FIVE SURVEY RESPONDENTS DID NOT RECALL USING CLC SERVICES AND TWO WERE INCOMPLETE). SOME HIGHLIGHTS:- 75% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED A PREFERENCE TO CONTACT CLC BY PHONE AND 41% BY VIDEO CONFERENCE. THIS COMPARES TO 38% IN CLC'S OFFICES OR 30% IN THEIR CANCER CLINIC.- WHEN ASKED ABOUT HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT CLC'S SERVICES, 81% INDICATED THEIR MEDICAL TEAM AND 50% INDICATED THEIR ONCOLOGIST SPECIFICALLY; COMPARED TO 66% AND 11%, RESPECTIVELY, AS TO THE ACTUAL WAY THEY LEARNED ABOUT CLC.- WHEN ASKED ABOUT WHEN WOULD BE THE BEST TIME TO BE REFERRED TO CLC, 66% INDICATED AT DIAGNOSIS, AND 35% AT THE START OF TREATMENT.- 93% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT CLC WAS ABLE TO RESOLVE ALL (70%) OR MOST (23%) OF THEIR LEGAL CONCERNS.- THE TOP THREE REASONS FOR HESITANCY OR BARRIERS IN CONTACTING CLC WERE O FEELING OVERWHELMED BY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES (57%) O WORRIED ABOUT WHAT THE LAWYER MIGHT SAY (38%) O CONCERNS ABOUT COST (33%) - 78% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT CANCER HAD A PROFOUND (44%) TO MODERATE (34%) IMPACT ON THEIR FINANCES.- 40% RESPONDED THAT THEY WOULD NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL HELP.* NOTE CLIENTS COULD IDENTIFY MORE THAN ONE ANSWER IN THESE QUESTIONS.AND SOME THOUGHTS FROM OUR CLIENTS:"AGAIN, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH PEACE OF MIND HAVING THIS DONE HAS GIVEN ME. I DID FEEL GUILTY NOT PAYING FOR IT, BUT IF IT HADN'T BEEN GIFTED TO ME I COULDN'T HAVE AFFORDED TO HAVE IT DONE. YOU ARE PROVIDING A HUGE SERVICE AND SAFETY NET FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE FIGHTING THIS TERRIBLE DISEASE.""TERMINAL CANCER IS BEYOND TERRIFYING. HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT FINANCES ABOVE AND BEYOND A TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS IS CRUEL AND UNFAIR. CANCER LEGAL CARE HELPED ME PLAN AND PREPARE REGARDING MY DISABILITY OPTIONS, SO THINGS FEEL MUCH LESS PRECARIOUS.""I HAVE NO INCOME SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED. I EXHAUSTED ALL MY SAVINGS, AND MY CHILDREN ARE SUPPORTING ME UNTIL I CAN GET BACK TO WORK.""CANCER'S IMPACT ON MY LIFE ALONG WITH MY HOUSEHOLD INCOME HAS BEEN DEVASTATING."

A SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION OF OUR WORK TOOK PLACE IN 2020 WITH THE CREATION OF OUR ICARE PROGRAM UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF OUR LEGAL CARE PROGRAM OFFERINGS. ICARE (INSURANCE CLAIM ADVOCACY AND RESOLUTION) ADDRESSES THE GROWING NUMBER OF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE DENIALS DUE TO MANY FACTORS INCLUDING SHRINKING NETWORKS AND EVER-CHANGING PRE-AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS. TO DATE, THE ICARE PROGRAM HAS CLOSED COMPLICATED INSURANCE MATTERS ON BEHALF OF 160 CLIENTS WITH A 96% SUCCESS RATE. OF THESE MATTERS, SUCCESS INCLUDED PROTECTING OR RECOVERING $4,066,034 IN HEALTH, DISABILITY, OR LIFE INSURANCE BENEFITS THAT HAD INITIALLY BEEN DENIED TO 64 CLIENTS. WITHOUT CANCER LEGAL CARE'S INTERVENTION, THESE 64 CLIENTS WOULD HAVE BEEN PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE COSTS, RANGING FROM $135-$565,000, WITH AN AVERAGE OF $63,532 SAVED FOR EACH CLIENT. ALL OF THE ICARE WORK IS DONE AT NO CHARGE AND WITHOUT ANY INCOME ELIGIBILITY LIMITATIONS.WHY?1. VERY FEW FAMILIES COULD AFFORD AN ATTORNEY'S HELP IN LIGHT OF CANCER'S GROWING FINANCIAL TOXICITY.2. ANY BARRIER TO REACHING OUT OR GETTING HELP MORE OFTEN THAN NOT BECOMES A NON-STARTER FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THEIR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND FINANCIAL BREAKING POINT. WE KNOW THAT INSURANCE ISSUES ARE AT THE TOP OF THE MOST STRESSFUL THINGS OUR CLIENTS FACE.

LAUNCHED ON JANUARY 1, 2023, FUNDED IN PART WITH A FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT WITH THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, THE SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SSAAP) MARKS THE START OF SOMETHING OUR CLIENTS HAVE LONG ASKED FOR HANDS ON HELP AT EVERY STEP OF THE SSDI/SSI APPLICATION PROCESS. DURING THE SSAAP'S FIRST YEAR, THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS SEEKING HELP FOR SSDI/SSI ISSUES INCREASED 94% FROM THE CLIENT NUMBER IN 2022. CLC'S SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST CANCER PATIENTS WHOSE HIGH COST OF TREATMENT AND INABILITY TO WORK IS IMPACTING THEIR ECONOMIC SECURITY. FOR MANY CANCER PATIENTS, SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE PATIENT'S WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THESE BENEFITS HELP TO REPLACE INCOME LOST WHEN A CANCER PATIENT FINDS THEMSELVES NO LONGER ABLE TO WORK (LIKELY AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE BEING SWAMPED WITH MEDICAL BILLS). BUT WHAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM OUR CLIENTS IS THAT THE PROCESS OF APPLYING FOR THESE NECESSARY BENEFITS CAN BE OVERWHELMING, ADDING ANOTHER LAYER OF STRESS TO AN ALREADY CHALLENGING TIME. IN RESPONSE, THE SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS BORN TO PROVIDE MORE ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT TO CANCER PATIENTS. OUR HOPE IS THAT CLC WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCES BARRIERS AND STRESS FOR DISABLED CANCER PATIENTS APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS. ELIGIBLE CLIENTS RECEIVE HELP COMPLETING APPLICATIONS AND GATHERING AND SUBMITTING IMPORTANT EVIDENCE. WE ASSIST WITH APPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS (SSDI OR RSDI) AND SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME (SSI).CLC PROVIDES THOROUGH AND COMPLETE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FROM THE START OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS UNTIL THE APPLICATION IS APPROVED. THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, CLC WILL WORK TO ENSURE THAT THE CLIENT'S APPLICATION IS TIMELY AND PROPERLY PROCESSED. CANCER PATIENTS LIVING IN MINNESOTA, 65 AND YOUNGER, WHO ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO WORK, AND MEET OUR INCOME GUIDELINES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. CLC WILL NOT CHARGE CLIENTS OR COLLECT A FEE FROM A CLIENT'S BENEFITS.WE ASSIST FAMILIES WHO ARE APPLYING FOR BENEFITS FOR THEIR CHILD WITH CANCER, AND ALL SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED OVER THE PHONE. IF A CLIENT PREFERS, WE CAN ALSO MEET VIRTUALLY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO REPORTING ON SSAAP FINDINGS IN THE COMING YEAR.