Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Schools are asking courts to intervene in response to chronic truancy by students - The Boston Globe

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Aug 5

Deputy Director Marisol Garcia testified in support of a bill that would reduce CRA filings by requiring school districts connect families with FRCs before filing with the court.

MHAP for Kids knows that families thrive when they receive resources in their communities and avoid court involvement.

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Aug 5

Today, The Boston Globe published an important article on the prominence of school districts in Massachusetts turning to the courts to combat issues like chronic absenteeism rather than connecting families with appropriate resources.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/03/m...

Critics argue schools should not turn to a judicial system that is built to prosecute criminal cases. Instead, children and families would benefit from help in connecting with support services.

Schools are asking courts to intervene in response to chronic truancy by students - The Boston Globe

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Aug 5

Today, The Boston Globe published an important article on the prominence of school districts in Massachusetts turning to the courts to combat issues like chronic absenteeism rather than connecting families with appropriate resources.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/03/m...

Critics argue schools should not turn to a judicial system that is built to prosecute criminal cases. Instead, children and families would benefit from help in connecting with support services.

Opinion | Josh Hawley: Don’t Cut Medicaid

Reposted by Health Law Advocates

Andy Beshear @andybeshearky.bsky.social · Jun 24

This “big, ugly bill” is dangerous and will destroy rural health care. In Kentucky alone, 35 hospitals are under the threat of closing, stripping care from families, cutting jobs and crippling local economies. 1/2

600 4.4K 14K

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · May 15

Senator Josh Hawley urges his colleagues to avoid cuts to #medicaid in a new op-ed for the NYTimes: www.nytimes.com/2025/05/12/o...

The proposed cuts would take away health care coverage for millions of Americans. Call your members of Congress to express your opposition to these cuts today.

www.nytimes.com

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Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Apr 17

Andrew Cohen, Lead Attorney of HLA's Access to Care and Coverage Practice, co-authors new op-ed on important steps hospitals can take to prepare in case of ICE visits. @medpagetoday.bsky.social @gfriedman.bsky.social
#immigranthealth #healthcarejustice

www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...

Opinion | With the Threat of ICE Raids Looming, Hospitals Must Be Prepared

Here's how health systems should respond

www.medpagetoday.com

Hundreds of Massachusetts health care workers urge hospitals to protect immigrant patients - The Boston Globe

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Apr 17

HLA commends the hundreds of health care workers in MA who signed an open letter urging health care institutions to protect immigrant patients and workers. We appreciate the important steps health care institutions have taken to protect their immigrant patients.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/17/b...

"A growing number of our patients are canceling or not coming to appointments and delaying medical care that they need," states an open letter from clinicians.

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Apr 8

Excited to be with many partners today @bostonbar.bsky.social talking about how we can eliminate medical debt!

HLA's Docket: Spring 2025

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Apr 3

The Spring 2025 edition of our Docket Newsletter is here! 🌸🗞

Inside you will find client stories, a map of all the cases HLA worked in 2024, information about trainings hosted by our attorneys, and more!

Check it out at the link below:
conta.cc/4bOPgOn

Email from Health Law Advocates Get the latest in this edition of the Docket! The Docket: Spring 2025 WHAT'S INSIDE: Client Spotlights Ruth Noah Training Roundup: MHAP for Kids Trains FRC Staff Policy

conta.cc

Insurer for nearly 50,000 poor, elderly, disabled people in Mass. running out of money - The Boston Globe

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Mar 6

#CommonwealthCareAlliance (CCA), one of the largest insurers of Massachusetts’ disabled, elderly, and low-income residents, is in financial turmoil. HLA is advocating alongside the Disability Policy Consortium to preserve access to care for enrollees. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/03/04/b...

Disability advocates have called for Commonwealth Care Alliance to be placed into receivership to protect members' well-being.

Boston Bar Foundation to Distribute Nearly $250,000 in Know Your Rights Grants - Boston Bar Association

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Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Mar 6

Thank you to the BBF Trustees and Staff for this special
grant round! More and more residents in our community can use the help of an attorney to defend their rights as they come
under threat.

Boston Bar Association @bostonbar.bsky.social · Mar 5

The Boston Bar Foundation, which serves as the charitable affiliate of the Boston Bar Association, announced today that it will distribute $247,634 in Know Your Rights grants to 25 Massachusetts organizations.

Read more below:

bostonbar.org/news/boston-...

The Boston Bar Foundation (BBF), which serves as the charitable affiliate of the Boston Bar Association (BBA), announced today that it will distribute

bostonbar.org

Medicaid Set for Scrutiny as Trump Targets Immigration

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Feb 27

In the new article below from Bloomberg Law, HLA Attorney Andrew Cohen comments on potential changes to federal funding of emergency Medicaid as the Trump administration continues to target immigrants. news.bloomberglaw.com/health-law-a...

The Trump administration’s laser focus on curtailing illegal immigration could test Medicaid programs that offer various forms of the low-income insurance benefit to patients regardless of immigration...

news.bloomberglaw.com

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Feb 20

Stand up against cuts to #Medicaid! The House Budget Committee has approved a budget resolution that includes $880B in cuts to Medicaid. We expect the House to vote on it next week. Call your reps at 866-426-2631 to let them know you oppose any cuts to Medicaid. #ProtectMedicaid @nhelp.bsky.social

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Feb 6

#Medicaid provides free or low-cost coverage to millions of Americans, including kids, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. Proposals to cut funding put millions at risk, including here in MA. Call your member of Congress and #ProtectMedicaid at 866-426-2631. @nhelp.bsky.social

Trump fires director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - The Boston Globe

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Feb 1

Under Director Chopra’s leadership the CFPB took bold steps to protect consumers from medical debt’s terrible impact. The Trump Admin. should not have forced him out. The next director needs to continue fighting for consumers in the health care system.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/01/b...

President Trump fired Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and an ally of Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Jan 27

HLA Attorneys Jennifer Cedor and Katherine Purrington collaborated with Boston Medical Center on a new publication discussing barriers to heart failure therapies for undocumented immigrants for the JHLT Open. 📰

Check it out at the link below!
doi.org/10.1016/j.jh...

Redirecting

doi.org

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Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Jan 20

Thank you to President Biden
and his Administration for their dedication to protecting health care access. From expanding coverage, strengthening mental health parity, advancing access to gender-affirming care, fighting medical debt, and other gains, their hard work led to important progress.

Trump’s Return Puts Medicaid on the Chopping Block - KFF Health News

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Jan 13

The news that the new Administration and Congress plan to try to "dramatically shrink Medicaid" couldn't be more concerning for all who care about health care access. There'll be strong push back to Medicaid cuts and HLA will be part of it. We hope you will too.

kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Republicans in Washington are working on plans to shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans.

kffhealthnews.org

CFPB Finalizes Rule to Remove Medical Bills from Credit Reports | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Jan 9

The CFPB's new rule from the Biden admin to remove #medicaldebt from #creditcreports will bring huge relief to millions of consumers who have had their credit histories devastated by injury or illness. HLA and #HCFA urge the incoming admin to keep it in place. www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/new...

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule to ban the inclusion of medical bills on credit reports used by lenders and prohibit lenders from using medical information in t...

www.consumerfinance.gov

MCLE | New England: CLE Programs, Webcasts and Publications

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Jan 6

On Tuesday, February 4th, HLA Attorney Andrew Cohen will be speaking at MCLE about MLRI: Health Care Access Programs. The training will provide an in-depth look at MassHealth and other subsidized coverage in Massachusetts.

Learn more about the program and sign up here: www.mcle.org/product/cata...

www.mcle.org

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Reposted by Health Law Advocates

Justice in Aging @justiceinaging.org · Dec 20

When states are forced to reduce their Medicaid budgets, in-home care services are often first on the chopping block.

Cutting Medicaid Harms Older Adults No Matter How It’s Sliced - Justice in Aging

This fact sheet explains how Medicaid “reforms” being considered are all cuts that harm older adults. Whether the cuts come in the form of red tape such as work requirements and stricter eligibility r...

justiceinaging.org

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Reposted by Health Law Advocates

National Health Law Program @nhelp.bsky.social · Dec 18

A per capita cap cuts Medicaid funding. NHeLP explains how it costs states billions and slashes health services for vulnerable populations. By Mara Youdelman healthlaw.org/resource/wha...

What Is a Per Capita Cap and How Would It Impact Medicaid?

A per capita cap is a financing mechanism to dramatically cut Medicaid funding. NHeLP explains how a per capita cap would work. And how it would cost states billions of dollars and slash health care s...

healthlaw.org

Current Career Opportunities at Health Law Advocates

Health Law Advocates @hlamass.bsky.social · Dec 18

We’re accepting applications for our 2025 paid summer law clerk class! (Check out our other openings too)

hlainc.efficientapply.com/jobs/

See current career opportunities that are available at Health Law Advocates

hlainc.efficientapply.com