To the Editor:
In the Opinion page of March 14, 2008, in a letter with the headline “More than ‘mild
problems’ “, the writer, Carol J. Crain wrote about a friend whose medical insurance carrier has refused to pay for chemotherapy for his cancer.
Independent living centers such as ours provide advocacy and information and referral, among many other services, to people with disabilities of all types. If her friend lives in our area, he can contact us for assistance in locating services. If he does not live within the area we cover, we can refer him to a center near him.
One program specifically for protection and advocacy for cancer patients, offered by Legal Services of Central New York, and available in sixteen counties in New York State, is called the Cancer Legal Advocacy and Services Project (CLASP). According to its brochure, services provided by the attorneys there include obtaining access to health care, and assistance with insurance issues, including assistance with denials or termination of benefits. There is no charge for their services, and their staff can be reached at (315) 475-3127.
I hope this information will be helpful to the person about whom Ms. Crain wrote.
Sincerely,
Rina Riba
Independent Living Specialist
Catskill Center for Independence
PO Box 1247
Oneonta, NY
(607) 432-8000 (Voice, TDD)
Fax: (607)-432-6907