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.
To find financial assistance resources, please visit CancerFinances.org.
Click here for information about laws specific to California.
Disability Insurance
State Disability Insurance (SDI)
Employment Development Department
800.480.3287
Federal Disability Insurance (SSDI & SSI)
Social Security Administration
800.772.1213
Estate Planning & Medical Decision Making
Triage Cancer Quick Guide to Estate Planning
Triage Cancer Checklist: Getting Organized
Southern California HIPAA Forms Requesting Access to Protected Health Care Information
Northern California HIPAA Forms Requesting Access to Protected Health Care Information
California Advance Health Care Directives
Wills & Trusts
State Laws on Creating Wills
Do I Need a Will?
Bankruptcy
How to File Bankruptcy in California for Free
Filing bankruptcy can be an effective way to eliminate medical bills and credit card debt among other kinds of erasable debts.
Employment
Federal Fair Employment Agency
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
800.669.4000
info@eeoc.gov
Reasonable Accommodations
Job Accommodation Network
800.526.7234
jan@AskJAN.org
Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
U.S. Department of Labor
Wage & Hour Division
866.487.9243
State Fair Employment Agency
Department of Fair Employment & Housing
800.884.1684
contact.center@dfeh.ca.gov
Certification Form for California Family Rights Act
State Paid Family Leave
Employment Development Department
877.238.4373
Vocational Rehabilitation
California Department of Rehabilitation
916.324.1313 or 800.952.5544
Health Insurance
Triage Cancer Guide to Health Insurance Marketplaces in California
California Health Insurance Marketplace (a.k.a. Exchange)
Covered California
800.300.1506
Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program & External Appeals
California Department of Managed Health Care Help Center
888.466.2219
helpline@dmhc.va.gov
California Department of Insurance
800.927.4357
County Medical Services Program (CMSP)
916.649.2631
COBRA
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
866.444.3272
COBRA-California
California Department of Human Resources
916.324.0455
HIPAA Plans
California Department of Managed Healthcare
800.927.4357
High Risk Insurance
Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP)
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Children's Health Insurance Program
977.543.7669
Find Health & Dental Coverage For Your Family
InsureKids.gov
Medicaid Programs
Triage Cancer Guide to Medicaid Expansion
Medicaid
Medi-Cal
800.541.5555
California Healthcare Coverage Facts
Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (HIPP)
916.650.0490
Medicare
Medicare
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
800.MEDICARE (633.4227)
Medicare Assistance
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP)
800.510.2020
Health Care Programs & Laws
Women’s Health & Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Sharing Medical Information with Family & Friends
Hill Burton Federally-Funded Health Centers
Federally Qualified Health Centers
National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
Unemployment Resources
Unemployment Agency
Employment Development Department
866.333.4606
Agency: California Employment Development Department
File here. Payments are posted to a debit card. Click here to see the current weekly benefit amount and the maximum length of benefits. It takes at least three weeks to process a new UI claim. Assistance in filling out the application is available here. You can also make a phone appointment with the Employment Development Department for assistance here. Information specifically for self-employed people or independent contractors available here.
Whether you have been fired from or quit your previous job, a phone interview will be conducted with you and your employer about two weeks after your application in order to determine if you are eligible for UI benefits. If you quit, you must be able to prove that you made reasonable attempts to keep the job and that you had good cause for leaving. If you attend school or training, you may still be eligible for UI if you are in an approved training program or if you remain available for work even while enrolled.
Updates related to California unemployment benefits and Covid-19
State Clinical Trials Law
The ACA requires that most, non-grandfathered, group health plans provide coverage for the routine costs when participating in clinical trials. Some states have more consumer protections. Click here for more information about clinical trials.
Cal. Health & Safety Code Ann. §1370.6, Cal. Ins. Code Ann. §10145.4, Cal. Welfare & Inst. Code Ann. §§ 14087.11, 14132.98 – The statutes apply to most health plans licensed to do business in California, including health care service plan providers (not including specialized health care service plan contracts), disability insurers (ones that provide hospital, medical or surgical coverage in California), County Organized Health System plans, and Medi-Cal. These entities and programs must cover and pay for routine health care services related to Phase I, II, III, or IV clinical trials.
The trial must either: (1) involve a drug that is exempt under federal regulations from a new drug application, or (2) be approved by: (a) NIH, (b) U.S. F.D.A. in the form of an investigational new drug application, (c) U.S. Dept. of Defense, or (d) U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. Second, the clinical trials must have a ‘therapeutic intent ‘ for patients and be recommended by the patient’s physician. Third, in many cases, the patient must get clinical trial care from a doctor or hospital within the state. However, health plans must pay for care at treatment centers outside the state if there is no provider in California taking part in the study.
Paid Family Sick Leave