Click on other tabs above for information about legal aid providers and courts in your area. Below is legal information on this sub-topic. You can localize this information by clicking on the"Choose Another Location" link in the right column and selecting the area where you live.
PA Health Law Project Toll-Free Helpline - Call: 1-800-274-3258 The PA Health Law Project provides free legal services and advocacy to Pennsylvanians having trouble accessing publicly funded health care coverage or services. For assistance, call the PHLP Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 or 1-866-236-6310 TTY or e-mail the PHLP at staff@phlp.org. Information from the PHLP is also available online at www.phlp.org.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Online Applications, Benefit Screening, Resources and Forms
PA Health Insurance Eligibility QuickScreen
(Separate Website)
This is a screening tool that the PA Health Law Project has designed, based upon the State's eligibility rules, to help you to figure out if you may be eligible for free or low-cost health care coverage. It is not an official determination of eligibility nor an application for coverage.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Partnership for Prescription Assistance - Search for Prescription Programs
(Separate Website)
The Partnership for Prescription Assistance brings together America's pharmaceutical companies, doctors, other health care providers, patient advocacy organizations and community groups to help qualifying patients who lack prescription coverage get the medicines they need through the public or private program that's right for them. Many will get them free or nearly free.
By: Partnership for Prescription Assistance Program
Information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
Power of Attorney in Pennsylvania
Information on what is a Power of Attorney (POA), guidelines when selecting an agent, what happens if I become mentally unable to make my own decisions, when does it go into effect, when does it end, and the process involved in setting up a POA.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
Requesting a Copy of Your Medical Records
(Separate Website)
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Programs:A manual for consumers and advocates [PDF]
(Separate Website)
This manual provides information on Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver
Programs in Pennsylvania. Under these programs Pennsylvania gets the Federal Government to waive, or not apply, existing service limits to individuals with disabilities who require healthcare and supportive services in order to remain in their home or community based setting. (PDF Format, 20 pages)
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
How to Obtain Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Services in Southwestern Pennsylvania
(Separate Website)
A listing of in county-specific resources for treatment in Southwestern Pennsylvania
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Navigating COBRA after the Passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(Separate Website)
Information on changes to the COBRA law (that allows employees losing their job to maintain health insurance) that resulted from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA provides a 65% subsidy to COBRA premiums for up to nine months to many individuals who have lost their jobs and employer-sponsored health insurance.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Prisoners' Rights Handbook
(Separate Website)
A handbook which provides an overview of the rights of prisoners.
By: Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project
The HIPAA Privacy Rule (PDF)
(Separate Website)
Information on the Standards for Privacy of Individually Indentifiable Health Information (Privacy Rule) which came into effect on April 14, 2001. The rule creates national standards to protect individuals' personal health information and gives patients increased access to their own medical records.
By: AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
Medical Consent: A New Tool for Grandparents and Others Caring for Children
(Separate Website)
Information on the Medical Consent Act, which allows a parent or legal custodian to authorize another person to consent to medical, dental or mental health care for children by completing and signing a simple document.
By: SeniorLAW Center (Philadelphia)
Standby Guardianship: A New Tool for Those Caring for Children
(Separate Website)
Information on the Pennsylvania Standby Guardianship Act which allows parents and caregivers to designate someone to immediately act as a child’s legal guardian in the event of death or grave illness.
By: SeniorLAW Center (Philadelphia)
Confidentiality of Mental Health Records
(Separate Website)
This Fact Sheet briefly addresses the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Pennsylvania regulations relating to confidentiality.
By: Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
Mental Retardation Commitment Procedures (PDF)
(Separate Website)
This fact sheet briefly addresses the procedures and standards that apply to commitments of adults with mental retardation.
By: Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
Private Disability Insurance
(Separate Website)
This fact sheet contains general information about private disability insurance.
By: Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
Information from Bar Associations and Other Legal Organizations
Privacy / HIPAA Issues
(Separate Website)
Information that was discussed by Attorney Whitney Hughes on the September 11, 2007 edition of Legal Briefs on KDKA's Pittsburgh Today Live Show.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Advance Health Care Declarations (Living Will)
(Separate Website)
Consumer information pamphlet from the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
By: Pennsylvania Bar Association
Living Will and Healthcare Power of Attorney
(Separate Website)
Information on living wills and healthcare powers of attorney.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Legal Briefs: Medical Records (Video)
(Separate Website)
September 15, 2007 edition of Legal Briefs, presented on KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. Whitney Hughes from the Allegheny County Bar Association discusses your medical records and who has access to them.
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Legal Briefs: Elder Law (Video)
(Separate Website)
Information presented on the October 24, 2006 edition of Legal Briefs on KDKA-TV's Pittsburgh Today Live Show. (5:52)
By: Allegheny County Bar Association
Consumer's Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
(Separate Website)
This Tool Kit contains a variety of self-help worksheets, suggestions, and resources to help you discover, clarify, and communicate what is important to you in the face of serious illness so that you can decide what you need in an advance directive for health care.
By: American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging
healthfinder® — your guide to reliable health information
(Separate Website)
healthfinder® is an award-winning Federal Web site, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with other Federal agencies. Since 1997, healthfinder® has been recognized as a key resource for finding the best government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. healthfinder® links to carefully selected information and Web sites from over 1,700 health-related organizations.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Pension and Health Care Coverage, Q&As for Dislocated Workers
(Separate Website)
Information regarding what could happen to your health and pension benefits if you lose your job or your hours are reduced below full-time.
By: United States Department of Labor
Hospital Compare - A quality tool for adults, including people with Medicare
(Separate Website)
This tool provides you with information on how well the hospitals in your area care for all their adult patients with certain medical conditions. This information will help you compare the quality of care hospitals provide.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Health and Human Services Fact Sheets
(Separate Website)
Informational fact sheets on a variety of topics.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Consumer Health Information
(Separate Website)
Informational brochures on a number of health topics from the Federal Consumer Information Center.
By: Federal Consumer Information Center
Office of Medical Assistance Programs
(Separate Website)
Agency website. Office oversees the Medical Assistance program in Pennsylvania.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
(Separate Website)
Program website with information helpful to consumers and families with mental health and/or substance abuse treatment needs, providers, and the general public.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Mental Retardation Services
(Separate Website)
Informaton on services and supports for people with mental retardation.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Pennsylvania's Adoption Medical History Registry
(Separate Website)
Information on the registry, which is operated by the Department of Public Welfare. The registry serves as a central repository for collecting and storing birth family medical information and adoptee requests. Registry services are available for all adoptions of Pennsylvania-born adoptees.
By: Pennsylvania Adoption Exchange
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
(Separate Website)
Information on HIPAA, which guarantees the portability, availability and renewability of health insurance coverage for certain employees and individuals, limits the use of preexisting condition restrictions, promotes the use of medical savings accounts and establishes tax qualified long-term care policies
By: Pennsylvania Insurance Department
What HIPAA Does and Does Not Do
(Separate Website)
Information on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, known as HIPAA, which includes important new - but limited - protections for millions of working Americans and their families. HIPAA may lower your chance of losing existing coverage, ease your ability to switch health plans and/or help you buy coverage on your own if you lose your employer's plan and have no other coverage available.
By: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Fact Sheet: Privacy and Your Health Information [PDF]
(Separate Website)
Information about federal protections regarding the privacy of your health information.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Fact Sheet: Protecting the Privacy of Patients' Health Information
(Separate Website)
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Fact Sheet: Your Health Information Privacy Rights [PDF]
(Separate Website)
Information about the privacy of your health information
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
If You Are Blind Or Have Low Vision - How We Can Help
(Separate Website)
Information for those who are blind or have low vision regarding benefits you may be eligible for through Social Security.
By: Social Security Administration
Benefit Publications from the Social Security Administration
(Separate Website)
Large collection of publications providing information on the various programs such as: disability benefits, appeal process, benefits for people with HIV, how workmans' compensation can affect your disability benefits, children with disabilities, info on receiving your payments, benefits for those who are blind or have low vision, details on ticket to work incentives, info on working while disabled, retirement benefits, government pension offset, medicare, windfall provision, survivors benefits, SSI, SSI for non-citizens, food stamps and other nutrition progams, protecting your on social security numbers, and more. Many publications available in Spanish.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
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PALawHELP.org is provided as a public service by the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Legal Services Corporation.
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(Separate Website)
