National Health Law Program

The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) convened its 22nd Annual Health Advocates Conference in December. The Conference brought together health care advocates from across the nation.

The Conference featured guest speakers Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Deputy Administrator and Director for Medicaid, CHIP and Survey & Certification Cindy Mann, DOJ Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Tom Perez, and HHS Director for the Office for Civil Rights, Leon Rodriguez.

Leader Pelosi provided the keynote address at Monday's Health Advocates Luncheon and thanked the audience for its commitment to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and ensuring that health care is accessible for all.

Perez and Rodriguez shared their plans for continued partnership between advocates, attorneys, and among federal agencies to ensure civil rights laws are enforced and used to address the gaps experienced by vulnerable communities.

Mann addressed advocates during Sunday's plenary session, expressing her commitment to ensuring the Medicaid program meets its intended goals and shared current CMS initiatives aimed at improving the quality of and access to care.

Advocates participated in workshops on a variety of health issues including health reform implementation, Medicaid defense, and fiscal challenges facing state Medicaid programs.

NHeLP convenes the conference annually as a forum to educate and collaborate with health care advocates and leaders from around the nation.

Updated Advocate's Guide to the Medicaid Program

For nearly 40 years, advocates, policy makers, and others have relied on the Advocate's Guide to the Medicaid Program to assure that the Medicaid program is implemented as the law intends, and that eligible low-income people can access the services that the program provides.

Released in June 2011 and NOW AVAILABLE, NHeLP’s comprehensive updated Guide is available in hard copy, as well as by online membership, for the first time featuring brand new interactive web features, such as live updates and user forums.

This widely anticipated update incorporates provisions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010), the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (2009), and the Deficit Reduction Act (2005). The Guide covers Medicaid administration, eligibility, and services, drawing extensively from numerous sources: the United States Constitution, the Medicaid Act, the Medicaid regulations, federal guidance documents, and federal and state court case law. Support for this guide was provided by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

June 2011; 286 pgs; ISBN 978-0-9834720-0-1

Click here to order!

Health Reform Analysis

NHeLP has released an in-depth analysis of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as well as the amendments made to PPACA by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. Given NHeLP’s focus on Medicaid and CHIP, civil rights, reproductive health and justice, and empowering low-income beneficiaries and their advocates, we have concentrated our analysis on areas of the law most related to those areas and populations.

Click the following links for helpful information:
Health Reform
Litigation
State Implementation
NHeLP Comments