Cancer Legal Care

CANCER LEGAL CARE (CLC) ENGAGES THE LAW TO RESOLVE THE COMPLEX CHALLENGES FACING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY CANCER.

IN 2021, CLC'S LEGAL CARE PROGRAM (LCP), OUR LARGEST COMBINED PROGRAM, PROVIDED FREE LEGAL SERVICES TO A TOTAL OF 532 MINNESOTANS WHO HAD A COMBINED 672 DIFFERENT LEGAL MATTERS. THE BIGGEST AREAS OF NEEDED LEGAL CARE WERE IN ESTATE PLANNING, SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY INSURANCE, 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 2021, 53% OF OUR CLIENTS WERE LIVING WITH STAGE IV CANCER. EACH AND EVERY CLIENT WHO CONTACTS CLC MEETS WITH ONE OF OUR STAFF ATTORNEYS. DUE TO COVID-19, IN 2021 ALL OF THESE MEETINGS WERE HELD VIRTUALLY EITHER OVER ZOOM OR OVER THE PHONE. FOR 79% OF OUR CLIENTS IN 2021, THIS CONSULTATION PROVIDED ALL OF THE LEGAL CARE NEEDED TO ADDRESS AND ANSWER THE CLIENT'S QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS. THE OTHER 21% OF OUR CLIENTS NEED ADDITIONAL LEGAL CARE, MOST OFTEN IN THE AREA OF ESTATE PLANNING OR GUARDIANSHIP PLANNING FOR THE CARE OF THEIR MINOR CHILDREN, OR HELP WITH AN INSURANCE APPEAL. AT THIS POINT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF CANCER, GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION, AND LEGAL NEED OF THE CLIENT, A CLC STAFF ATTORNEY WILL PROVIDE FURTHER LEGAL CARE IN HOUSE OR COORDINATE A PLACEMENT WITH ONE OF OUR APPROXIMATELY 75+ VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.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: 20% --INSURANCE COVERAGE (HEALTH INSURANCE, SHORT/LONG TERM DISABILITY) 11% --HOUSING AND FINANCIAL (EVICTION, FORECLOSURE, CREDITOR ISSUES, BANKRUPTCY) 11%--EMPLOYMENT (ADA/MHRA DISCRIMINATION/REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION, FMLA) 27%--LEGAL PLANNING (HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVES, GUARDIANSHIP, WILLS, POWERS OF ATTORNEY) 17% --PUBLIC BENEFITS (SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY, MEDICAID) 14 --OTHER (IMMIGRATION, TAX, FAMILY)THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS BECOME IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE OF THEIR CANCER DUE TO LENGTHY PERIODS OF UNPAID TIME AWAY FROM WORK AND HIGH INSURANCE PREMIUMS, DEDUCTIBLES AND OUT OF POCKET COSTS, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE FINANCIAL ABILITY TO PAY FOR AN ATTORNEY'S ASSISTANCE IN CREATING THE VARIOUS LEGAL DOCUMENTS THEY NEED TO ENSURE THE WISHES FOR THEIR CARE AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILY ARE CARRIED OUT, OR WHERE TO TURN FOR UNBIASED, PROFESSIONAL ADVICE REGARDING THE MANY DECISIONS THEY ARE FACING AND QUESTIONS THEY HAVE. CLIENT STORY: HOW LEGAL CARE BRINGS PEACE OF MINDTRACY, A 57-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF THREE, DIAGNOSED WITH BRAIN CANCER, REACHED OUT TO CLC FOR HELP GETTING SOME CRITICAL DOCUMENTS IN PLACE. WHEN TRACY REACHED OUT TO CLC, SHE WAS LIVING IN A SHELTER. ONE OF OUR CLC STAFF ATTORNEYS WORKED WITH TRACY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS MAKING SURE HER DOCUMENTS WERE IN ORDER. THE CLC STAFF ATTORNEY SPOKE WITH TRACY ALMOST WEEKLY, HELPING HER NOT ONLY WITH HER DOCUMENTS, BUT ALSO LEARNING ABOUT HER FAMILY, HER HEALTH, AND TRACY HERSELF, AS THEY WORKED TOGETHER. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE WITH CLC, TRACY, STATED, "THIS IS MY STORY, AND THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW. WHAT IS BEAUTIFUL IS THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU COME IN AND HELP AND ARE DEPENDABLE. I ALWAYS KNEW, AND STILL KNOW, THAT WHEN I CALL YOU, YOU WILL CALL ME BACK. THERE ARE SO MANY PARTS OF A CANCER DIAGNOSIS THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEE BUT THAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT CLC AND KNOW THAT YOU WERE THERE FOR ME WHEN I NEEDED IT THE MOST. I CALLED CLC NOT KNOWING IF OR HOW YOU COULD HELP. YOU MADE THIS ALL EASY FOR ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE THAT YOU'VE MADE FOR ME. I NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AFFORD TO DO THIS ON MY OWN. PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH. I AM PROUD TO SHARE MY EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I WANT PEOPLE TO SEE MY FACE AND KNOW THIS IS REAL."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. AS ONE MIGHT IMAGINE, THESE CASES ARE OFTEN VERY COMPLEX. IN 2021, THE ICARE TEAM WORKED ON 30 ICARE CASES: 24 NEW MATTERS THAT ORIGINATED IN 2021, AND SIX THAT CARRIED OVER FROM 2020, ALL ON BEHALF OF CLIENTS WHO WERE NOT ONLY WERE FACING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS, BUT ALSO THE NIGHTMARE OF AN INSURANCE DENIAL RELATED TO EITHER THEIR CANCER TREATMENT OR THEIR DISABILITY COVERAGE. NINE OF THESE 30 CLIENT CASES HAVE CONTINUED INTO 2022. SEVEN WERE MATTERS WHICH ONLY REQUIRED CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEYS, TWO WERE CLIENTS WHO DID NOT CONTINUE COMMUNICATION WITH OUR ATTORNEYS, AND FOR 12 CLIENTS, THEIR CASES CLOSED, WITH THE ICARE TEAM SECURING INSURANCE COVERAGE RESULTING IN $659,885 OF PREVIOUSLY DENIED CANCER TREATMENTS BEING COVERED BY INSURANCE AND IN DISABILITY INSURANCE CLAIMS BEING APPROVED AND PAID FOR OUR CLIENTS WHO COULD NOT WORK DUE TO THEIR CANCER TREATMENT. THESE CLAIMS RANGED FROM $1,507 FOR ONE CLIENT TO $250,000 IN CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENTS FOR ANOTHER. 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.CLIENT STORY: HOW ICARE HELPSHOWIE, A 48-YEAR-OLD MARRIED FATHER OF THREE YOUNG CHILDREN, CAME TO CLC FOR HELP WHEN HE WAS FACING OVER $157,000 IN BILLS FOR HIS CANCER TREATMENT THAT NOT ONE, BUT TWO, INSURANCE COMPANIES WERE DENYING COVERAGE FOR. THE PREVIOUS YEAR, HOWIE HAD BEEN HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO WEEKS DURING THE COURSE OF HIS LYMPHOMA TREATMENT. DURING HIS STAY, HOWIE'S INSURANCE COVERAGE CHANGED FROM INSURANCE COMPANY #1 TO INSURANCE COMPANY #2. SUFFICE TO SAY, THIS LED TO CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION. HOWIE HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG, BUT HE ALONE WAS FACING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A MOUNTAIN OF BILLS TOTALING OVER $157,000 THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANIES REFUSED TO PAY. ALL THE WHILE, HOWIE WAS DEALING WITH CANCER, AND THE STRESS THESE BILLS BROUGHT WITH THEM. WHILE THE BILLING EXPERTS AT THE HOSPITAL TRIED TO ASSIST HOWIE FOR NEARLY 11 MONTHS, THEY ULTIMATELY COULD NOT GET THIS RESOLVED. THEN, HOWIE LEARNED ABOUT CLC FROM HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, WHO WAS SEEKING RESOURCES TO HELP THE FAMILY. HOWIE REACHED OUT TO CLC, AND OUR ICARE TEAM OF ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES GOT TO WORK RIGHT AWAY--REVIEWING THE INSURANCE PLAN DOCUMENTS FROM BOTH COMPANIES AND COORDINATING ALL OF THE BILLINGS. THE ICARE TEAM COORDINATED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS GOT THE ENTIRE $157,413.23 BILL COVERED BY THE APPROPRIATE INSURANCE COMPANY, LEAVING HOWIE WITH A BALANCE DUE OF $0."I AM SO RELIEVED THIS IS ALL FINALLY RESOLVED."-HOWIE

GROUP PRESENTATIONS & EDUCATIONAL OUTREACHBY GETTING INFORMATION PROSPECTIVELY, PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO REACH OUT FOR HELP AT THE OUTSET OF THEIR LEGAL ISSUE AND FROM A MORE PROACTIVE STANCE. OVER THE YEARS, CLC HAS MADE A TOTAL OF 188 PRESENTATIONS ATTENDED BY 7,000 CANCER PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, AND HEALTHCARE AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS. IN 2021, CLC CONDUCTED AND/OR PARTICIPATED IN 6 VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS ATTENDED BY 312 CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS, THEIR LOVED ONES, HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. PRESENTATIONS WERE MADE AS PART OF THE MINNESOTA CANCER SUMMIT, MINNESOTA HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE CONFERENCE, AND THE MAYO CLINIC' PALLIATIVE CARE TEAM, AS WELL AS SPECIFIC CANCER SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDER STAFF EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS. ADDITIONALLY, IN 2021 CLC STAFF CREATED A 12-PART SERIES OF INFORMATIONAL VIDEOS ON HEALTH INSURANCE TOPICS THAT HAS BEEN VIEWED HUNDREDS OF TIMES AND CONTINUES TO BE SO.