Cancer Legal Resource Center
Program Description | Professional Panel | Examples of Our Work | Upcoming Events | In the News | Links
Overview
The Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) is a joint program of the Disability Rights Legal Center and Loyola Law School. The CLRC provides free and confidential information and resources on cancer-related legal issues to cancer survivors, their families, friends, employers, health care professionals, and others coping with cancer.
A cancer diagnosis can carry with it a variety of potential legal issues, including insurance coverage, employment discrimination, access to health care, and estate planning. These legal issues can cause people unnecessary worry, confusion, and stress, and can be overwhelming. When these legal issues are not addressed, people may find themselves surviving the disease, only to find that they have lost their homes, jobs, insurance, or families.
Staff
Joanna Fawzy Morales, Esq., Director
Elise Meerkatz, Esq., Staff Attorney
Mahin Salehi, Esq., Staff Attorney
Tiffany Sirikulvadhana, Esq., Staff Attorney
Laura Urias, Esq., Staff Attorney
Jennifer Chavo Fenton, JD,
Outreach and Education Coordinator
Sarah Semrow, Administrative Assistant
Contact
Toll Free #: 1-866-THE-CLRC or 1-866-843-2572
Phone: (213) 736-1455
TDD: (213) 736-8310
Fax: (213) 736-1428
Email: CLRC@LLS.edu
Materials
CLRC Information Sheet (English)
CLRC Information Sheet (Spanish)
Program Description
Where Do You Turn For Help?
The CLRC has a national, toll-free Telephone Assistance Line (866-THE-CLRC) where callers can receive information about relevant laws and resources for their particular situation. Members of the CLRC's Professional Panel of attorneys, insurance agents, and accountants provide more in-depth information and counsel to CLRC callers.
The CLRC has extensive resources on a broad range of cancer-related legal issues, including health insurance, employment, government benefits, estate planning, advance health care directives, family law, and consumer assistance.
On April 19, 2007, the CLRC received its 20,000th call to its Telephone Assistance Line (866-THE-CLRC). Since its founding in 1997, the CLRC remains the only program of its kind, providing invaluable cancer-related legal information and resources to callers from all 50 states. The success of the Center's work is reflected in the enormous need for the information they provide. Throughout its 10-year history, the CLRC has served over 75,000 people through the Telephone Assistance Line, conferences, seminars, workshops, outreach programs, and other community activities.
CLRC staff members also speak at seminars and outreach programs in the cancer community, including cancer support groups and in-service trainings for health care professionals. The CLRC regularly hosts informational booths at health fairs and other events in the community. If you would like CLRC staff to attend your next event, please call us at (213) 736-1331 or (866) 843-2572.
CLRC Telephone Assistance Line Statistics
CLRC Supporters
On August 16, 2007, the Cancer Legal Resource Center (CLRC) announced that they will partner with the National Home Office of the American Cancer Society (ACS) on a health insurance pilot project focusing on four states: California, Hawaii, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Click here for more information.
The CLRC is also supported by the California Division of the American Cancer Society (ACS). ACS also refers calls nationally to the CLRC. In 2001, approximately 20% of the CLRC callers were from outside of California. In 2006, approximately 60% of the CLRC callers were from outside California.
Generous funding is also provided by Loyola Law School, the Disability Rights Legal Center, the California Office of the Patient Advocate, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, several affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, other grants, and individual donations.
Professional Panel
The CLRC is seeking lawyers with experience in employment, family law, estate planning, government benefits, or health insurance law to join its Professional Panel and help people navigate their cancer-related legal concerns. A volunteer attorney can make the difference!
The Disability Rights Legal Center can also provide a 1-hour CLE approved training for you and your office about how to assist callers with cancer-related legal issues. Our training will introduce your office to the CLRC’s Professional Panel and empower volunteer attorneys to apply their expertise to help people with cancer.
Here's what one of our current attorneys had to say about his volunteer experience:
“Over the past several years, I have responded to scores of referrals from the Cancer Legal Resource Center. Some of the callers just needed reassurance that they were receiving all they were entitled to from their insurers, their employers, and their physicians. Others have required substantially greater assistance and, unfortunately, many of them have been forced to take legal action. Without fail, these callers have viewed the Cancer Legal Resource Center as the last line of defense in securing their rights at a time in their lives when they were most vulnerable. Every time I visit the Center, I am amazed by the enthusiasm and intensity the CLRC’s attorneys and staff bring to their task, and the sincerity and empathy with which they conduct their work.”
Our volunteer attorneys have also been widely recognized for their work. Christine Hayashi won the California Young Lawyers Association of The State Bar of California 2006 Jack Berman Award of Achievement. To learn more about this award, click the links below:
California Bar Journal article
If you are interested in volunteering for the Cancer Legal Resource Center, please contact us at (213) 736-1331.
CLRC Professional Panel Application
Examples of Our Work
Our callers consistently give our services their highest accolades. CLRC Highlights
DI, whose granddaughter, S, was diagnosed with childhood leukemia called the CLRC Telephone Assistance Line. S’s HMO refused to cover her special treatment protocol, because her hospital was not a network provider. The hospitals within the HMO network would not provide the same protocol. The family contacted the CLRC, which recognized the solution and directed them to a government agency overseeing HMOs. The agency worked with the insurance carrier to have the decision reversed. S was able to receive her ongoing treatment "out of network" and is surviving and thriving after cancer. One of the CLRC's volunteer attorneys also set up a special account at the family's church, where deductible contributions could be made for S's care.
D, called the CLRC Telephone Assistance Line. He was calling on behalf of a friend and spoke with one of the CLRC law school students. His friend had leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. His friend’s brother was a positive match to be a donor for the bone marrow transplant. However, the family is from Vietnam and the brother was in Vietnam. The United States Embassy denied a visa for the donor brother living in Vietnam.
We suggested that the family contact a federal agency for assistance. Approximately 3 weeks after filing their request, the family was notified that the brother was authorized to come from Vietnam to be a donor for his brother living here. He flew in on Christmas Day from Vietnam.
Mary D. called the CLRC Telephone Assistance Line from New Jersey. She first had breast cancer several years ago. She was treated and had silicone breast implants. She recently had a recurrence of breast cancer and was scheduled for surgery again. However, she needed two surgeons for the surgery – a breast cancer surgeon and a plastic surgeon. Both surgeons were not participating providers in her health plan. One of the surgeons had been approved by her health plan. The plastic surgeon was not approved. She needed this particular plastic surgeon who was familiar with silicone breast implants.
A representative at a government agency in New Jersey told her to go through the appeals process, which she was doing. However, her surgery was rapidly approaching and her insurance carrier was not responding.
That same day, the CLRC contacted one of its volunteer attorneys in New York. The attorney contacted the insurance carrier on our caller's behalf. After the CLRC's volunteer attorney advocated on behalf of Mary, and two days before her scheduled surgery, the carrier reversed its position and approved coverage for her out of network surgeon.
Law School Externships
Remember why you came to law school in the first place! Take theory and put it into practice. Law students receive training in cancer rights law and gain “hands-on” experience assisting people with cancer, cancer survivors, their families, friends, and others coping with cancer. Get actively involved by interviewing CLRC callers and providing telephone assistance and information on cancer-related legal issues. You can also enhance your research and writing skills by drafting correspondence and conducting legal research for callers. Law students have the additional opportunity to participate in community event and educational seminars.
Law Clerks and Externs receive training in cancer rights law and gain “hands-on” experience assisting people with cancer, cancer survivors, their families, friends, and others affected by cancer. Get actively involved by interviewing CLRC callers and providing telephone assistance and information on cancer-related legal issues. You can also enhance your research and writing skills by drafting correspondence and conducting legal research for callers. Law Clerks and Externs have the additional opportunity to participate in health fairs and community programs as schedules permit.
Enrich your law school experience and join us in this worthwhile program!
CLRC students go on to work at major law firms, boutique firms, government agencies, public interest programs, and open their own law offices. Here is what one of our students had to say about working at the CLRC:
"Working at the CLRC was an emotional, but rewarding experience. Being a willing listener to many of the callers was almost as important as any information we passed on. Many people were frustrated with their experiences with past organizations, and the CLRC was able to return phone calls and help as much as we possibly could."
“I initially decided to extern at the CLRC to help navigate their way through what I know to be very difficult times. In the beginning, I thought it would be me doing all the advising and giving. Now, I realize that I have learned more from the callers about law and life than I ever would have, had I not externed with the Center.”
Upcoming Events
June 4, 2008: "Ask-The-CLRC" Event at the Premiere Oncology Foundation, txt format
June 19, 2008: Community Alliances Conference, CLRC will present on legislative advocacy, txt format
June 28, 2008: Lymphoma Workshop: Understanding Lymphoma Basics and Current Treatment Options
September 21, 2008: Bob Cooney Golf Tournament
The Cancer Legal Resource Center Chronicle
August 2007
Los Angeles County Edition
Orange County Edition
In the News
Loyola Law School's In Brief: Getting to Know the Cancer Legal Resource Center
Legal Protection in the Workplace and in Health Insurance
Fighting to Live, Remain Insured
Watch CLRC "Cancer and the Law" presentation at The Wellness Community-Ventura
Despite Cancer, Many Keep Careers Healthy
CLRC Receives its 20,000th Call to its Telephone Assistance Line
Cancer Legal Resource Center Receives $50,000 Grant Over Two Years
Lance Armstrong Foundation Awards 27 Community Grants to Help People with Cancer
Voice of America interview about the Disability Rights Legal Center/Loyola Law School’s Cancer Legal Resource Center
The Group Room interview on your legal rights as a cancer survivor
Casino Royale
On the balmy summer evening of August 4th, 175 people gathered outdoors at the Loyola Law School campus, designed by Frank Gehry, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Cancer Legal Resource Center. Attendees enjoyed a night of guilt-free accessible gaming and a spectacular Chopin martini bar generously sponsored by Moet-Hennessey. Players tested their luck at Craps, Roulette and Blackjack, while more serious card sharks engaged in a Texas Hold ‘Em Poker tournament. Braille cards were used for all card games, an ASL interpreter was available, and all tables were wheelchair accessible.