Your Rights & Resources
Plain-English walkthroughs of what you're entitled to and how to actually get it.
Browse by condition
Start where you are. Pick your condition and we'll show its guide plus the rights that matter most for it.
Your Rights Under the ADA — What Your Employer Actually Owes You
The Americans with Disabilities Act means your employer has to work with you, not against you, if your condition affects your job. Here's what that looks like in real life.
FMLA: How to Take Leave Without Losing Your Job
Up to 12 weeks off, your job protected, health insurance still active. Here's who qualifies and how to actually use it without the paperwork eating you alive.
State Disability Programs: Getting Paid While You Can't Work
Five states plus Puerto Rico will actually pay you part of your salary while you recover. If you're in one of them, this is money you've already earned — go get it.
Long-Term Disability Insurance: What It Actually Covers (and How to File)
If your condition is going to keep you out of work for more than a few months, long-term disability insurance might be your primary income. Here's how it actually works — no insurance jargon.
LTD Claims Got Denied? Here's What to Do Next
A denial is not the end. Most people don't know they can — and should — appeal. Here's the exact process for both US and Canada.
How LTD Works With Your Other Benefits
LTD rarely works alone — it tangles with SSDI, state disability, workers' comp, and more. Here's how the pieces actually fit together.
SSDI & SSI: The Federal Safety Net, Explained Simply
Two different programs, two different qualifying paths. Here's how to tell which one (or both) you might qualify for, without the government-form headache.
Medicare & Medicaid: Two Different Safety Nets
Medicare isn't just for retirees, and Medicaid isn't just for people with no income. After a diagnosis, either one could be your health insurance — here's how they work and who qualifies.
Getting a Disability Parking Permit Without the Runaround
A short doctor's note and one form. That's really it. Here's exactly what to bring so you're not making a second trip.
FSA & HSA: Tax-Free Money for Your Medical Costs
These accounts let you pay for medical costs with pre-tax money — which means everything from copays to crutches effectively costs you 20-30% less. Here's how they work and which one you have.
Getting Insurance to Cover a Recommended Scan
Most imaging requires prior authorization before insurance will pay for it — and most delays trace back to a request that was never actually filed, not to insurance being slow.
Appealing a Denied Test or Scan
You have 180 days to file an internal appeal, and a meaningful share of appeals succeed — especially ones that directly address the reason given in the denial letter.
Tax Breaks for Disability (US): Credits and Deductions You're Missing
From the Credit for the Elderly/Disabled to medical expense deductions to ABLE accounts, here are the tax breaks that can actually put money back in your pocket after a diagnosis.
Reading Your Explanation of Benefits for a Diagnostic Test
An EOB is not a bill — it's a summary. Comparing it against the actual provider bill is one of the easiest ways to catch a billing error before you pay it.
Can't Afford a Recommended Test?
Nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer financial assistance — most patients are just never told. Ask for it directly, and compare the cash-pay rate too.
The Accessible Canada Act: What It Actually Guarantees You
Federal law requiring organizations to identify and remove barriers. Here's what it covers and how to use it if you hit a wall.
AODA: Your Rights If You're in Ontario
Ontario has its own accessibility law with real teeth, covering everything from customer service to your workplace. Here's what businesses actually owe you.
Duty to Accommodate: Canada's Version of 'They Have to Work With You'
Every province requires accommodation up to 'undue hardship' — a bar that's higher than most employers act like it is. Here's how to push back.
EI Sickness Benefits: 26 Weeks of Income While You Recover
55% of your earnings, up to 26 weeks, if you can't work for medical reasons. Here's exactly what you need to apply and how fast it moves.
CPP-Disability: Canada's Long-Term Disability Program
If you've contributed to the Canada Pension Plan and can't work because of a disability, CPP-Disability provides monthly income. Here's who qualifies and how to apply without the paperwork panic.
Provincial Disability Support Programs (Canada)
Each province has its own disability income support program — and the rules, amounts, and eligibility are completely different. Here's how to find and apply for yours.
PIPEDA: Who Gets to See Your Health Information (and Who Doesn't)
Your health data is treated as extra-sensitive under Canadian privacy law. Here's what organizations actually have to tell you, and what you can demand.
Disability Tax Credit (Canada): Money Back in Your Pocket
The Disability Tax Credit can save you thousands per year — and you can claim it retroactively for up to 10 years. Here's who qualifies and how to claim it.
Accessible Housing Rights: Fair Housing Act & ADA Housing Protections
Your landlord can't say no to a grab bar. The Fair Housing Act gives you real rights to make your home work for you — here's exactly what you can demand.
Paying for Home Modifications: Grants, Loans, and Programs You Didn't Know Existed
A ramp shouldn't cost you $5,000 out of pocket. There are programs in both the US and Canada that will help pay for home modifications — if you know where to look.
Service Animals Under the ADA: Where You Can Go and What You Can Ask For
A service animal is not a pet — and the law treats them very differently. Here's where you can take a service animal, what businesses can and can't ask, and how it's different from an emotional support animal.
Estate Planning After a Diagnosis: Wills, POA, and Directives You Actually Need
Nobody wants to think about this after a diagnosis, but getting these documents in order is one of the most freeing things you can do. Here's what you need and how to get it done without a $3,000 lawyer fee.
Life Insurance After a Diagnosis: What You Need to Know
Can you get life insurance after a diagnosis? Sometimes. Should you keep what you have? Almost always. Here's the honest answer.
Special Needs Trusts: Protecting Your Benefits When You Receive Money
If you're on SSI or Medicaid and you receive a settlement, inheritance, or even a gift — you could lose your benefits. A special needs trust fixes this. Here's how.
Home Health Aides & Personal Care: Getting Help at Home
Getting help with daily tasks — bathing, dressing, meals, medication management — isn't a luxury, it's a covered benefit in many programs. Here's how to get it.
Cancer: Your Practical Roadmap After Diagnosis
Cancer comes with its own legal, financial, and practical maze. Here's what's different about navigating work, benefits, and daily life with a cancer diagnosis.
Multiple Sclerosis: What's Different About MS Navigation
MS is unpredictable — relapses, remission, and invisible symptoms make the legal and benefits picture uniquely tricky. Here's what's different.
Mental Health Conditions: Your Rights When the Diagnosis Isn't Physical
Depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar — these are disabilities under the law too. Here's how to navigate accommodations and benefits when your condition isn't visible.
Diabetes: Navigating Work, Benefits, and Daily Life
Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions — and the accommodations and benefits available are broader than most people realize.
Chronic Pain & Fatigue: Rights When People Don't Believe You
Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, lupus, ME/CFS — conditions people can't see are the hardest to get taken seriously. Here's how to navigate the system when your disability is invisible.
Your Right to a Second Opinion
Second-opinion coverage isn't universal — it depends on your state and plan. Ask before you schedule, and send your actual records ahead, not just a summary.
This is general information to help you get oriented — not legal advice. Rules vary by where you live, so double-check the specifics with a professional you trust.