When patients begin their fight against cancer, it is often the fight of their lives, unlike any they have ever fought before. They need every ounce of strength and support from every aspect of their lives. Sadly, some aspects do just the opposite—I’m talking about employers and insurance companies, both of which can make the fight substantially harder.
Fortunately there is help.
In the US for example, the
Family and Medical Leave Act requires covered employers give eligible employees 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for a number of reasons, including caring for an immediate family member with a serious health condition, as well as taking medical leave when you are unable to work because of a serious health condition.
However, it can be difficult to get employers and insurance companies to comply to federal and state laws. That’s where organizations like the
Patient Advocate Foundation can really help.
Their case managers and attorneys work as tireless patient advocates on issues concerning access to care, job retention, and debt crisis, and they have an enormous abundance of resources at their fingertips.
If you’re having trouble with your employer, insurer, or your creditors, consider contacting the Patient Advocate Foundation. You can call them at 1 (800) 532-5274, visit their website at www.patientadvocate.org, or email them at info@patientadvocate.org.
They do not offer direct financial assistance or give medical advice, yet the services they do provide—including case management and live chats—are provided to patients free of charge, and they have the resources to answer almost any other question or concern you may have.
