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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
COMPASS - Apply for Public Benefits and Services from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
(Separate Website)
Pennsylvania residents can apply for a variety of programs, including public assistance, food stamps, health care coverage, energy assistance and other social service programs at this site
By: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Application for Social Services (COMPASS)
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
GovBenefits.gov
(Separate Website)
GovBenefits.gov is a free, online confidential tool that helps you find government benefits you may be eligible to receive.
By: GovBenefits.gov, a partnership of many Federal agencies and organizations
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
Health Care for CHILDREN
(Separate Website)
Information on several free and low cost health insurance or health coverage options for children in Pennsylvania.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
(Separate Website)
Information on the Pennsylvania Children's Health Insurance Program
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Getting Medical Assistance for a Child (under 18) with a Severe Disability, Behavioral or Autism Spectrum Disorder
(Separate Website)
Informational guide to how to obtain MA coverage for a child who is disabled.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
PA Health Law Project's Medical Assistance Manual [PDF]
(Separate Website)
A guide for determining your eligibility for free health coverage under the PA Medical Assistance (MA) Program
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
How to Obtain Mental Health and Drug & Alcohol Services in Pennsylvania
(Separate Website)
Booklet explaining how to obtain services under various programs in Pennsylvania.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Accessing Behavioral Health Services for your Child: The Interagency Service Planning Team (ISPT) Meeting
(Separate Website)
Information on ISPT Meetings and how to proepare for one.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Advocating for Behavioral Health Services for your Child
(Separate Website)
Tips on how to be a good advocate for in securing Behavorial Health Services for your child.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Reporting Parental Income for Medical Assistance for Children with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions
(Separate Website)
Information on reporting requirements of parents caring for children with disabilities.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Getting Medical Assistance for a Child (under 18) with a Severe Disability, Behavioral or Autism Spectrum Disorder
(Separate Website)
Information on whether a child with a severe disability qualifies for Medical Assistance and how to prove it.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Standards for Disability for a Child with Mental Illness or Bio-Neurological Disorder
(Separate Website)
Information on the disablitiy standards that must be met by a child to qualify for medical assistance.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
The Many Doors to Consumer Empowerment - A Guide to Advocacy for Mental Health Consumers in Pennsylvania
(Separate Website)
This guide was created to help people in Pennsylvania who are dealing with mental illness learn about the mental health system and when, where, and how you can shape it -- if you choose to.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
The Psychological Evaluation
(Separate Website)
Information on what to look for in a comprehensive psychological evaluation.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
Understanding "Wraparound" Services for Children in HealthChoices
(Separate Website)
Information on "Wraparound" Services for Children in the HealthChoices program.
By: Pennsylvania Health Law Project
CHIP - Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Programs
(Separate Website)
CHIP Program website. CHIP is Pennsylvania's program to provide quality health insurance for children of working families who otherwise could not afford it.
By: Pennsylvania Insurance Department
Health Care Coverage
(Separate Website)
Information on child support services available to obtain health care coverage for children from a non-custodial parent.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Questions and Answers on Insure Kids Now!
(Separate Website)
Information on children's health insurance programs offered by states.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Child Care Works Subsidized Child Care Program
(Separate Website)
Child Care Works is Pennsylvania's plan for improving the quality and increasing the availability of safe, affordable child care for Pennsylvania's working families.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Benefits For Children With Disabilities
(Separate Website)
This booklet is written primarily for the parents and caregivers of children with disabilities and adults disabled since childhood. It illustrates the kinds of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits a child with a disability might be eligible for and explains how SSA evaluates disability claims for children.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
HealthCare.gov
(Separate Website)
HealthCare.gov is a federal government Website managed by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services providing information on health care options that are available.
By: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Understanding the Affordable Care Act (Video)
This video discusses the Affordable Care Act. The law puts into place comprehensive health insurance reforms that will hold insurance companies more accountable and will lower health care costs.
By: HealthCare.gov
Temporary High Risk Pool Program
(Separate Website)
Information on a high risk pool program included in the historic new health reform law to help provide affordable health insurance coverage to people who are uninsured because of pre-existing conditions.
By: HealthCare.gov
The Affordable Care Act's New Patient's Bill of Rights
(Separate Website)
The new Patient's Bill of Rights under the Affordable Care Act - which will help children (and eventually all Americans) with pre-existing conditions gain coverage and keep it - protects all American's choice of doctors and end lifetime limits on the care consumers may receive. These new protections apply to nearly all health insurance plans
By: HealthCare.gov
Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act: Protecting Young Adults and Eliminating Burdens on Families and Businesses
(Separate Website)
Provides information on the Affordable Care Act provisions that allow young adults to stay on their parents? health care plan until age 26.
By: HealthCare.gov
Pennsylvania Health Care Facilities Search
(Separate Website)
Search aid to help you locate health facilities in Pennsylvania.
By: Pennsylvania Department of Health
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
Facts About Federal Funding for States to Provide Health Coverage to Immigrant Children and Pregnant Women
(Separate Website)
Information on Children?s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), providng a new opportunity to provide affordable health coverage to many immigrant children and pregnant women through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
By: National Immigration Law Center
Online Applications, Benefit Screening, Resources and Forms
COMPASS - Apply for Public Benefits and Services from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
(Separate Website)
Pennsylvania residents can apply for a variety of programs, including public assistance, food stamps, health care coverage, energy assistance and other social service programs at this site
By: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Application for Social Services (COMPASS)
Application for cash assistance, SNAP and Medical Assistance Benefits[PDF]
(Separate Website)
This form is a Application for Cash Assistance, SNAP and Medical Assistance Benefits
By: Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) - Should I Apply?
(Separate Website)
Use this online resource to find out if you are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by answering a few simple questions and providing basic income information.
By: Internal Revenue Service
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
I-CAN! EIC Available to Help You Do Your Taxes for FREE and Get Your Earned Income Tax Credit
(Separate Website)
I-CAN! EIC is an online resource that will help you do your federal and Pennsylvania income taxes for FREE in English or Spanish, and obtain a federal earned income tax credit cash refund.
By: Legal Aid Society of Orange County (California)
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Benefits Check Up for Seniors (55+)
(Separate Website)
BenefitsCheckUp is a comprehensive online service to screen for federal, state and some local private and public benefits for older adults (ages 55 and over). BenefitsCheckUp also provides a detailed description of the programs, including the local addresses and phone numbers where to apply.
By: National Council on the Aging
Information from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network
Cash Assistance - What You Need to Know
Informational brochure regarding cash assistance and important information you should be aware of such as time limits, work requirements, special rules, and income and resource rules.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
General Assistance
(Separate Website)
Information on the General Assistance program.
By: Neighborhood Legal Services Association
General Assistance Benefits in PA (Audio-MP3)
(Separate Website)
6/2/2008 - Information on General Assistance benefits in Pennsylvania, who qualifies, generally combined with other benefit programs. Audio recording with written transcript.
By: Northwestern Legal Services
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Tips on Applying for Welfare Benefits
(Separate Website)
Helpful tips about filing an application for benefits from the Department of Public Welfare.
By: Neighborhood Legal Services Association
Benefits Available from the Welfare Office for Low Income Persons
(Separate Website)
A Summary of Benefits avaialble through your County Assistance Office.
By: Neighborhood Legal Services Association
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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.