National Health Law Program (NHeLP)

08/27/2026

California Webinar! Navigating California Children’s Services (CCS) can be complicated, but families have rights. Join the National Health Law Program (NHeLP) and Disability Rights California for a webinar on due process rights, grievances, appeals, and tools to help children and youth get the care they need. Learn what families need to know to navigate CCS and advocate for care.📅 September 11, 2026 🕘 9:30 AM PDT Register here https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-ETW_Kt1SBqaL-jqRXCfeg #/registration

08/27/2026

School counts toward Medicaid work requirements. Enrollment at least half-time fully satisfies the monthly requirement. Students enrolled less than half-time can combine education hours with work, volunteering, or other qualifying activities to meet the 80-hour monthly requirement. Understanding how education hours are calculated is key to helping students keep their coverage. By Katy DeBriere https://healthlaw.org/timely-tips-to-safeguard-medicaid/

08/25/2026

Medicaid must be accessible to everyone. Federal nondiscrimination laws require states to ensure people with disabilities have equal access to Medicaid applications, renewals, notices, call centers, and online services. That includes providing reasonable accommodations, such as alternate formats, extra time, or other assistance, when needed. As states rely more on technology, advocates should make sure accessibility isn't left behind. By Elizabeth Edwards https://healthlaw.org/timely-tips-to-safeguard-medicaid/

08/24/2026

Incarceration should not mean losing Medicaid. As of January 1, 2026, federal law prohibits states from terminating a person’s Medicaid eligibility simply because they become incarcerated. Our new factsheet explains this important protection, the suspension options available to states, and other Medicaid rules affecting adults and youth who are incarcerated. By Jasmine Young

08/21/2026

NHeLP in the news! Major changes to Medicaid eligibility are coming to North Carolina, affecting immigrants with legal status and many adults enrolled through Medicaid expansion. To help communities prepare, NHeLP hosted the first of two webinars on upcoming Medicaid eligibility changes. The discussion was moderated by Elizabeth Edwards, Attorney at the National Health Law Program, and featured Kate Woomer-Deters, Attorney at the North Carolina Justice Center, and Julieanne Taylor and Doug Sea, Attorneys at the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy.Together, they shared what advocates, health navigators, and families need to know about the changes ahead.

Noticias en español sobre política, inmigración y asuntos comunitarios para los latinos en Carolina del Norte.

08/20/2026

Language should never be a barrier to Medicaid. Federal civil rights laws require Medicaid agencies to provide meaningful access for people with limited English proficiency. That means clear information about language assistance, quality translations, oral interpreters, human review of critical AI- or machine-translated documents, and strong written policies. Access to health care starts with access to information. By Jules Lutaba https://healthlaw.org/timely-tips-to-safeguard-medicaid/

08/18/2026

NHeLP in rhe news! When algorithms determine Medicaid funding, transparency matters. Nebraska uses interRAI, a set of assessment tools that evaluates a person’s needs, strengths, and preferences to determine a score that helps set funding levels for people with disabilities. Since full implementation in 2025, DHHS has lowered the funding recommendation for 893 people by at least one tier. “If the state knows the rules and you don't, how can you play the game, let alone win?” said Elizabeth Edwards, Senior Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). Edwards says families need more information about how interRAI determines funding. People deserve a transparent process when their Medicaid services, and the support they rely on, are at stake. Article by Josh Reyes, and photo by Nikos Frazier of the Omaha World Herald. **Article is behind a pay-wall here https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_18078364-742f-4d2b-b75c-
89dc54ccb46b.html

08/18/2026

Medicaid systems should protect people, not put their coverage at risk. Errors in eligibility systems can cause serious harm, and the rapid changes required by OBBBA increase the risk of mistakes. States should use this moment to strengthen vendor contracts with enrollee protections, stakeholder testing, direct reporting of system glitches, and safeguards to quickly pause terminations when problems arise. Better systems mean fewer wrongful coverage losses. By Sarah Grusin https://healthlaw.org/timely-tips-to-safeguard-medicaid/