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  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.
There are 35 resources  
  PA Health Law Center Toll-Free Helpline
 
   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
  
   
  Information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
 
   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] This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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
  
   
   Prisoners' Rights Handbook This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page.
A handbook which provides an overview of the rights of prisoners.
By: Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project
  
   
  Information from Other Legal Aid Providers
 
   The HIPAA Privacy Rule (PDF) This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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 This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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) This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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 This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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) This link opens a PDF file in a new window.  If you do not have an accessible Acrobat Reader, a link is provided at the bottom of this page. (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
  
   
   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
  
   
  Information from Government Agencies
 
   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
  
   
   How to File a Health Information Privacy Complaint (Separate Website)
Information on how to file a health information privacy complaint with the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    Read this in: Spanish / Español
  
   
   Fact Sheet: Privacy and Your