Puerto Rico Resources

Puerto Rico

This page has information specific to this state, including contact information for federal and state agencies, and some key information about laws and consumer protections. Sometimes, state laws are more protective than federal law. For more information on this state's specific laws (e.g., on employment or health insurance), visit Triage Cancer's Charts of State Laws.

Advocacy

Disability Insurance

State Disability Insurance

Federal Disability Programs

Private Disability Insurance

  • You can also purchase short-term and/or long-term disability insurance directly from a private insurance company or this type of insurance may be offered by your employer as an employee benefit. See our Quick Guide to Long-Term Disability Insurance for more information.

Employment

Federal Fair Employment

  • The U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, transgender status, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits. For more information about the EEOC, including how to file a complaint, visit the EEOC's websitecall 800.669.4000, or email info@eeoc.gov.
  • The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, that provides free, expert, and confidential guidance on job accommodations and disability employment issues. They also have several resources on how to approach an employer to request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and a Searchable Online Accommodation Resource where individuals can find suggested accommodations based on job duties or limitations that they are experiencing. For more information, visit the JAN website, call 800.526.7234, or email jan@AskJAN.org.

State Fair Employment

State Unemployment

  • Puerto Rico's program is administered by the Departmento del Trabajo y Recursos Humanos, Departamento de Seguro por Desempleo, 787.754.5353.
  • There are separate programs for regular work and agricultural work. There is also a program that grants an additional 26 weeks of unemployment compensation to claimants who have worked in establishments where the Secretary of the Department of Labor determines that there is a special situation of unemployment, due to technological changes or the disappearance of an industry or occupation. Additionally, there are specific programs for those who lose jobs due to loss of import trade and those who lose jobs due to a major disaster. The claimant must have a good cause for voluntarily leaving a job.

Vocational Rehabilitation

  • Your state's Vocational Rehabilitation agency provides vocational rehabilitation services that are designed to help job seekers with disabilities obtain competitive employment in integrated work settings. For more information on their services, eligibility requirements, and how to apply, visit the Administración de Rehabilitación Vocacional (ARV) website.

More Information

Employment – Taking Time Off

Federal Leave Laws

Minimum Wage, Vacation, and Sick Leave Act

State Paid Sick Leave (for self)

County & Local Leave

  • Some cities and counties may have additional leave laws.

Workplace Leave Policies or Employment Contracts

  • Everyone’s situation is different. Check your employee handbook, your workplace policies, and/or your employment contract (if you have one) to see whether you are eligible to take paid or unpaid time off from work.

More Information

Finances

For information on financial assistance resources, you can visit the Financial Assistance Resources module at CancerFinances.org. You can then pick from the different categories of financial assistance, to find organizations that may provide financial help to you. Think creatively. For example, if you cannot find anything to help with your medical bills, you may qualify for utility assistance and shift the money you had dedicated to utilities to your medical bills.

Health Care

Health Insurance Information

Health Insurance Options

Consumer Assistance
Coverage for Children

Visit this site to learn about the El Programa de Seguro Médico para Niños (877.543.7669), that provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to be eligible for Medicaid.

More Insurance Information

Health Insurance Appeals

  • If your health insurance company has denied coverage for your care, you can appeal that decision. The process depends on the type of health insurance that you have. Visit the Health Insurance Appeals module on CancerFinances.org to learn more about appeals.
  • If you have private health insurance (e.g., through an employer or the Marketplace), you can also file an external appeal with an entity outside of your insurance company, to see if the insurance company is required to cover your care. The external review process is either handled by the state’s insurance agency or the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Visit our Chart of State Laws on Health Insurance Coverage & Navigation to see who runs the external appeals process in your state.

Medicare

Medicaid

  • Medicaid provides free or low-cost health coverage to eligible individuals, including people with low-incomes, families, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities. Each state has its own rules for eligibility. Read Triage Cancer's Quick Guide to Medicaid to learn more.
  • States have the option to expand Medicaid eligibility to individuals with incomes at or below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level. Visit Triage Cancer's Guide to Medicaid Expansion to see whether your state has expanded Medicaid.
  • Visit this site to learn more about Medicaid benefits in your state.
Coverage for Children
More Medicaid Resources

Free or Low-Cost Health Care

  • For a list of Hill-Burton Federally Funded Health Centers that are obligated to provide free or reduced-cost health care, visit the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) website.
  • Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are community-based health care providers that provide primary care services in underserved areas. To search for an FQHC in your state, use the Find a Health Center tool on the HRSA website.
  • To find a community clinic in your area: screenings and services in your area, visit the National Association of Free & Charitable Clinics website.
  • The National Breast & Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (NBCCEDP) provides breast and cervical cancer screenings and diagnostic services to women who have low incomes and are uninsured or underinsured. For more information about screenings and services in your area, use the CDC search tool.

Health Care Programs & Laws

Women's Health & Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA)
Privacy
State Clinical Trials Law
  • Some states have a clinical trial law.
More Health Insurance Resources

Housing

State Cancer Information

Transportation

  • Local transit systems may provide free or discounted rates for low-income individuals and families. Some cities also offer bus passes, vouchers for taxi or ride-sharing services, or shuttle services for patients traveling to cancer treatments.