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.
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 Texas estate planning documents, and the specific forms you need.
Bankruptcy
How to File Bankruptcy in Texas 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
Texas Workforce Commission, Civil Rights Division
512.463.2642 or 888.452.4778
Vocational Rehabilitation
Texas Workforce Solutions – Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Health Insurance
Texas Health Insurance Marketplace (a.k.a Exchange)
800.318.2596
Texas Department of Insurance
800.252.3439
COBRA
U.S. Department of Labor
Employee Benefits Security Administration
COBRA-Texas
Texas Department of Insurance
800.252.3439
Medicaid Programs
Triage Cancer Guide to Medicaid Expansion
Texas Medicaid Program
855.435.7182
State Medicaid Program for In-Home Care
Community First Choice (CFC)
Health Insurance Premium Payment (HIPP) Program
800.440.0493
State Children's Health Insurance Program
Texas Children's Medicaid
877.541.7905
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)
Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program
800.252.9240
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)
Medicaid for Breast & Cervical Cancer Treatment Program (MBCC)
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
Unemployment Benefits Services
Agency: Texas Workforce Commission
Information and filing available here. Weekly certifications for benefits can be filed by phone: 800-558-8321. Click here to see the current weekly benefit amount and the maximum length of benefits. Payments are available via direct deposit or debit card. Most claimants will be required to register with the state’s job search service online or to visit a job search service center in person. In addition, most claimants must make a certain number of job search contacts per week in order to maintain eligibility for benefits. These contacts must be documented in a verifiable log. There is a chat box feature on the website for general questions. Frequently asked questions are answered here. There is a comprehensive guidebook available. Informational videos about how to apply can be found here. Customer service can be reached by phone: 800-939-6631.
State Clinical Trials Law
V.T.C.A. Insurance Code §§ 1379.051-052
Who must cover the costs? Health benefit plan issuers
What must be covered? Benefits for routine patient care costs to enrollees in connection with Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, or Phase IV clinical trials
Requirements for Coverage: The trial must be conducted in relation to the prevention, detection, or treatment of a life-threatening disease or condition
Qualifying Trials: The trial must be approved by: (1) the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Department of Health and Human Services; (2) the National Institutes of Health; (3) the United States Food and Drug Administration; (4) the United States Department of Defense; (5) the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or (6) an institutional review board of an institution in this state that has an agreement with the Office for Human Research Protections of the United States Department of Health and Human Services
(Current as of 8/2022)