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.
State Cancer Information
Illinois Department of Public Health
State Comprehensive Cancer Control Program
State Comprehensive Cancer Center
State Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan
State Health Care Coverage Facts
Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
Federal Disability Insurance (SSDI & SSI)
Social Security Administration
800.772.1213
Estate Planning & Medical Decision Making
Triage Cancer's free State-Specific Estate Planning Toolkit includes information about estate planning in general, and information about Illinois estate planning documents, and the specific forms you need.
Triage Cancer Quick Guide to Estate Planning
Triage Cancer Checklist: Getting Organized
Illinois Advance Health Care Directives
Illinois Wills & Trusts Information
State Laws on Creating Wills
Illinois Guide to a Living Trust
Bankruptcy
How to File Bankruptcy in Illinois 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
Illinois Department of Human Rights
312.814.6200
Vocational Rehabilitation
Illinois Department of Human Services
800.843.6154
Health Insurance
Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace (a.k.a Exchange)
Get Covered Illinois
866.311.1119
Health Insurance Consumer Assistance Program & External Appeals
Illinois Attorney General
877.305.5145
Illinois Department of Insurance
312.814.2420 or 217.782.4515
HIPAA Plans/High Risk Insurance
Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan
217.782.6333
COBRA
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
866.444.3272
COBRA-Illinois
Illinois Department of Insurance
866.311.1119
State Children’s Health Insurance Program
All Kids
866.255.5437
Find Health & Dental Coverage For Your Family
InsureKids.gov
Medicaid Programs
Triage Cancer Guide to Medicaid Expansion
Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services
888.586.8717
Illinois High Insurance Premium Payment Program (HIPP)
Illinois Department of Human Services
800.843.6154
Illinois Home Services Program
Illinois Department of Human Services
800.843.6154
Medicare
Medicare
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
800.MEDICARE (633.4227)
Medicare Assistance
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
800.252.8966
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
Illinois Department of Employment Security
800.244.5631
Agency: Illinois Department of Employment Security
File here or by phone. Customer service: (800) 244-5631 and TTY: (866) 488-4016. Make weekly certifications here. Click here to see the current weekly benefit amount and the maximum length of benefits. There is a chat feature available on the website to answer basic questions. A comprehensive guidebook is available here. Payment is available via direct deposit or debit card. To remain eligible, you must register for the Employment Service. There is a comprehensive guidebook available.
Updates relating to Illinois 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.
215 ILCS §5/364.01 – No individual or group policy may be cancelled or not renewed due to an enrollee’s participation in a qualified clinical trial. In order to be considered “qualified,” the clinical trial must be testing a treatment that has not been determined relative to established therapies. Furthermore, only Phase II, III, and IV clinical trials may qualify. Next, the trial must either be approved by the U.S. F.D.A. or by one of the following: (1) National Institutes of Health (2) CDC, (3) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, (4) U.S. Dept. of Defense, (5) U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, or (6), or a cooperative group or center of any entity set forth herein. Lastly, the participant’s primary care physician must be involved in the coordination of care.
NOTE: There is currently no Illinois law that requires health plans to cover patient care costs in clinical trials. (current as of 7/2011).
Paid Family Sick Leave
Illinois does not have paid family leave. However, both the City of Chicago and Cook County require employers to allow employees to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. Statewide legislation is currently pending.