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 Louisiana.
Disability Insurance
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 Louisiana estate planning documents, and the specific forms you need.
Consumer Rights
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
Louisiana Commission on Human Rights
225.342.6969
Vocational Rehabilitation
Louisiana Workforce Commission, Rehabilitation Services Division
225.342.3111
Health Insurance
Quick Guide to Health Insurance Marketplaces
Louisiana Health Insurance Marketplace (a.k.a Exchange)
800.318.2596
Louisiana Department of Insurance
225.342.5900 or 800.259.5300
State Children’s Health Insurance Program
LaCHIP
877.252.2447
Find Health & Dental Coverage For Your Family
InsureKids.gov
COBRA
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
COBRA-Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Insurance
225.342.5900 or 800.259.5300
More Information
Medicaid Programs
Triage Cancer Guide to Medicaid Expansion
Louisiana Medicaid
888.342.6207
Louisiana Health Insurance Premium Payment Program (LaHIPP)
888.695.2447 or 855.618.5488
State Medicaid Program for In-Home Care
Community Choices Waiver
More Information
State Children’s Health Insurance Program
LaCHIP
877.252.2447
Find Health & Dental Coverage For Your Family
InsureKids.gov
Medicare
Medicare
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
800.MEDICARE (633.4227)
Medicare Assistance
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP)
800.259.5300
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)
Breast & Cervical Health Program (LBCHP)
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.
Dial 211 for assistance.
Unemployment Resources
Unemployment Agency
Louisiana Workforce Commission
225.342.3111
Agency: Louisiana Workforce Commission
Information available here. Click here to see the current weekly benefit amount and the maximum length of benefits. Payments are available via debit card or direct deposit. More filing information can be found here. Weekly certifications can be made by phone by calling 1.866.783.5567. Claimants must maintain an active work search while claiming benefits and will automatically be registered in a job search site when claiming unemployment benefits. Claimants must prove three job search contacts per week. Frequently asked questions are answered here. A comprehensive guidebook is available here.
Updates related to Louisiana unemployment benefits and Covid-19: Covid-19 Q&A, How to File a Claim, How to File a WPO, CARES Act Stimulus
State Clinical Trials Law
La. R.S. § 22:1044
Who must cover the costs? Insurance policies or plans
What must be covered? Patient costs incurred as a result of a treatment being provided in accordance with a clinical trial for cancer except any applicable copayment, deductible, or coinsurance amounts
Requirements for Coverage: The treatment must have “therapeutic or palliative intent” for cancer patients of the early detection of cancer and only Phase II, III, and IV cancer clinical trials are covered. A clearly superior, non-investigational alternative approach must not exist, and the patient must sign an IRB-approved informed consent form. Finally, clinical or preclinical data must provide a reasonable expectation that the treatment will be as effective as the non-investigational alternative.
Qualifying Trials: The treatment must be approved by one of the following: (a) NIH, (b) NIH cooperative group, (c) U.S. Dept. of Defense, (d) U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, (e) U.S. F.D.A in the form of an investigational new drug application, (f) a federally funded general clinical research center, or (g) the Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups; (4) the protocol of the trial must be reviewed and approved by a state IRB (specifically, one that has a multiple project assurance contract approved by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Office of Protection from Research Risks)
(Current as of 8/2022)
Leave Laws
For more information about leave laws in each state, see our chart on taking time off from work.