State Laws

For individuals diagnosed with a chronic or serious medical condition and their caregivers, understanding the laws in your state is important, because sometimes state laws provide more protection than federal laws. Federal laws are created by the federal government in Washington, D.C., and apply across all states and territories. State laws, outlined here, are passed by your state government and only apply in your specific state. 

Browse state laws that may impact you, including on topics like health insurance, employment, disability insurance, accessing medical records, estate planning and medical decision-making, immigration, and more.

Health Insurance

Explore state laws related to:

• Health Insurance Options
• Health Insurance Coverage & Navigation
• Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening & Treatment Programs
• Colorectal Cancer Screening & Treatment Programs
• Prostate Cancer Screening & Treatment Programs
• Co-Pay Accumulator Programs
• Surprise Billing & the No Surprises Act
• Prior Authorizations
• Step Therapy
• Fertility Services
• Biomarker Testing
• Military Coverage of Cancer-Related Care
• White Bagging, Brown Bagging, & Other Prescription Drug Laws
• Health Insurance Coverage of Cancer Screenings

Medicare

Explore state laws related to:

• Medigap State Laws

Medicaid

Explore state laws related to:

• State Medicaid Coverage
• Medicaid Coverage of Clinical Trials
• State Medicaid Retroactive Coverage
• Estate Recovery
• Medicaid Coverage for Community Health Worker Services
• Medicaid Options for Immigrants
• Medicaid Options for Immigrants Who Are Undocumented

Employment

Explore state laws related to:

• Employment Rights
• Taking Time Off (Unpaid Leave, Paid Leave, Vacation Leave, Bereavement Leave)
• Unemployment Benefits

Disability Insurance

Does your state have a state disability insurance program? Find out!

• Disability Insurance

Access to Medical Records

This chart outlines the laws in your state to help you access your medical records, including potential charges to access records, how long a provider needs to keep your records, and more.

• Accessing Medical Records

Estate Planning & Medical Decision-Making

Explore state laws related to:

• Rules for Creating a Will
• Remote Execution of Estate Planning Documents
• Funeral Designations
• Funeral Assistance
• Digital Assets
• Death with Dignity

Other Cancer-Related State Laws

Learn about state laws related to medical marijuana and Right to Try.

• Marijuana State Laws
• Right to Try State Laws

Genetic Information

This chart includes the state laws that provide protections related to genetic information in health, disability, life, and long-term care insurance policies.

• Genetic Information Protections

Advocacy

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