Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
In 2019, Cancer Legal Care provided free legal care services valued at over $1.5 million to 628 Minnesotans who had a combined 804 legal matters related to their cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Our health insurance advocacy work on behalf of 13 clients resulted in $507,159 worth of cancer treatments and procedures covered by insurance after having been previously denied.
Current Goals
Our goals for 2020 were obviously set before the COVID-19 pandemic was on the horizon. Even when the pandemic became part of our reality for 2020, our goals did not change, and indeed, were able to be met. Our goals were to provide legal care services to all cancer patients in need who contacted us, and we did, serving over 500 Minnesotans with cancer related legal services. Our client numbers were down slightly from last year, but that is attributable to not being able to hold our legal clinics in the cancer clinic which helped to drive client numbers up in 2019, and the fact that social workers were often working remotely and loved ones not allowed in with a patient for long chemo treatments. These two are the most ready sources of helping patients get the supporting services they need. Still we increased our outreach to other community organizations and our client numbers remained strong.
Another big goal was to take our pilot insurance appeals work and turn it into a full program in 2020, and we did, launching the ICARE (Insurance Claim Advocacy and REsolution Program) and securing over $1,030,000 in cancer treatments and/or private disability benefits to eleven clients who had previously faced denials from their insurance companies.
Community or Constituency Served
Anyone (patient, survivor, caregiver) affected by any cancer, at any point from diagnosis on, and living anywhere in Minnesota.
Geographic Area Served
The state of Minnesota
