Book Provides Valuable Tools: A Review of Know Your Rights
Ann
DeBarbieri
Those of us with chronic illness, or primary caregivers for children or others with chronic illnesses, learn early on how important it is to strongly advocate for ourselves or our loved ones. We know what it is like to hit the brick wall of being told something can’t or won’t be done. Wouldn’t it be great to have a single resource that would tell us what the law requires of physicians, employers, schools, and others? Know Your Rights: A Handbook for Patients with Chronic Illness, third edition, by Jennifer C. Jaff, is such a resource.
Jaff is an attorney and the founder of Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing free legal information, advice, and advocacy services to patients with chronic diseases. Her advocacy efforts grew out of her own experience in living with a chronic illness.
The handbook focuses on many areas of concern. These include how to obtain your own medical records; get and keep health insurance; appeal denial of coverage by your insurance carrier; address a denial or discontinuation of coverage from a private disability insurance company; and apply for Social Security Disability and appeal a denial of coverage. The book also addresses discrimination in employment and public accommodations; Family and Medical Leave Act issues; and education-related laws for grade school through graduate school students.
This book is not a light read. It is not something most people will want to read cover to cover in one sitting. However, it is an excellent starting point in learning about the laws that apply to these topics. In spite of the complexity of the issues, Jaff uses clear language to describe the laws. The main body of the book is focused on federal laws and how the courts have interpreted them. Armed with this information, the reader can then refer to the extensive appendixes, which provide information on relevant state laws on some of the topics (and which actually make up more than half the book).
Of even more value, however, are the sample letters, forms, and appeal narratives that are included in the appendixes. These are very practical examples of what should be included and the level of detail necessary to be successful. Finally, throughout the book Jaff provides references to various Web sites that are available for further information.
It is clear that in writing this book Jaff has drawn on a wealth of experience in advocating for herself and others with chronic illnesses. She has succeeded in creating a valuable tool that can be of use to anyone facing the issues covered in the book. Proceeds from the sale of the book help to fund the work of Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, making purchase of the book even more worthwhile.
This book is available for $30 plus shipping ($3.50 for one book; discounts for multiple copies). Order online at www.advocacyforpatients.org or send payment with order to Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, 18 Timberline Dr., Farmington, CT 06032.
May/June 2010 LifelineLetter