Health
- You are here:
Home- Health
The Health Law Practice Area enforces the Hill-Burton Act requirement that a hospital receiving federal assistance provide a reasonable level of free medical care for the poor, and enforces rights to benefits under the Medicare or Medicaid programs and under public health programs administered by county health departments.
Attorneys
Paralegals
| Name | Office |
| Anita Acosta | Harlingen |
| Sergio Garza | Harlingen |
| Monica Lopez | El Paso |
| Tere Tillotson | San Antonio |
| Matias Villalobos | Edinburg |
Laws
- Medicaid Law: An Overviewprovides access to the relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, and court decisions. Courtesy of the Cornell Legal Information Institute
- Medicare Law: An Overviewcourtesy of the LII
- Mental Health Law: An Overviewcourtesy of the LII
- Health Hippo’s Medicaid and Medicare Pagecompilation of relevant statutes, regulations, and publications. Courtesy of FindLaw
- Texas Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act (Chapter 61 of the Texas Health and Safety Code)
Federal Agencies
- Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Service (OS)advises the President on federal health, welfare, and income security policies
- Administration on Aging (AOA)administers programs to help older Americans maintain their independence, including home-delivered meals, medical transportation, and at-home medical services
- Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)supports research on health care systems, health care quality and cost issues, and the effectiveness of medical treatments
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)administers programs to improve the health of all Americans. Site includes extensive health information and statistics
- Food and Drug Administrationassures the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs and medical devices. Site provides extensive health information for consumers and professionals
- Health Care Financing Administrationoversees the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) programs. Site provides extensive information about Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP for consumers and advocates
- healthfinderfederal gateway to reliable consumer health and human services information on the web
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)assures equal access to comprehensive, culturally competent, quality health care for all Americans
- Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC)administers primary health care programs to medically underserved populations
- Office of Special Programsadministers the Hill-Burton Free Care Program requiring hospitals receiving Hill-Burton funds to provide a certain amount of free or reduced-cost care to people who can’t afford to pay. Site includes access to a listing of all Hill-Burton obligated facilities
- Indian Health Service (IHS)federal health services to American Indian and Native Alaskan tribes
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)the world’s largest medical research organization. Provides access to a wealth of reliable health information
- Database of Toll-free Heath Hotlines in the United Statescourtesy of the National Library of Medicine
- Office for Civil Rightsenforces equal access to HHS programs and services
- Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administrationworks to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services
- Social Security Administration (SSA)
Research and Statistics
- healthfinderfederal gateway to reliable consumer health and human services information on the web
- National Center for Health Statistics
State Agencies
- Texas Department of Health
- Indigent Health Care Divisionprovides information about eligibility and services under the County Indigent Health Care Program
- Family Health Services Information and Referral Line, 1-800-422-2956 toll-free information and referral service for women and children in Texas
- Medical Transportation Programprovides eligible Medicaid recipients with transportation to their health care appointments
- Texas Department of Human Services
- Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
- Texas Health and Human Services Commission site provides assistance in locating health and social services help in your community
Legal Resources
- Bazelon Center for Mental Health Lawadvocates to protect and advance the civil rights of people with disabilities
- National Health Law Programa national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America 's poor, particularly in the areas of Medicaid and state and local health care programs for the poor
- Your Civil Rights to Health Careexplanation of rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Hill-Burton Act
- National Poverty Law Center
- National Youth Law Program
- St. Louis University Center for Health Law Studiespublishes the Journal of Health Law, the official journal of the American Health Lawyers Association
National Advocacy
- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
- Children’s Defense Fund
- Families USAdedicated to achieving high-quality, affordable health and long-term care for all Americans. Site includes extensive information about Medicaid, Medicare, Managed Care, CHIP, and the uninsured
- Family Voices national network of families and friends speaking on behalf of children with special health care needs
- Health Care for AllMassachusetts-based organization dedicated to making health care a right for all people
- KidsHealth.orgprovides doctor-approved health information about children and teens
Medicare
- Medicare Law: An Overviewprovides access to the relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, and court decisions. Courtesy of the Cornell Legal Information Institute
- Medicare.govthe official federal government site for Medicare information
- Health Care Financing Administrationoversees the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) programs. Site provides extensive information about Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP for consumers and advocates
Medicaid
- Medicaid Law: An Overviewprovides access to the relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, and court decisions. Courtesy of the Cornell Legal Information Institute
- The Medicaid Clearinghouse from Families USA provides extensive publications and links concerning federal and state Medicaid developments and advocacy strategies
- “Usted Esta Aqui: Guia del Seguro Medico Para Ninos en Tejas que Cabe en su Presupuesto”Spanish-language guide to health insurance options for Texas children, including Medicaid, CHIP, Texas Healthy Kids Corporation insurance, and the State Kids Insurance Plan (SKIP). Includes extensive information about program eligibility and how to apply. The guide was produced through a cooperative effort between Texas Rural Legal Aid and the Migrant Clinicians Network. In Adobe Acrobat
- “You are Here: A Guide to Health Insurance for Texas Children that Fits Your Budget”English-language version. In Adobe Acrobat
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
- TexCare Partnershipprovides information about CHIP and Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and benefits, as well as CHIP enrollment forms in English and Spanish
- Texas CHIP Coalitionalliance of organizations working for a strong CHIP program in Texas . Site includes news and updates on CHIP enrollment
- Texas CHIP Information from the Children’s Defense Fund
- “Usted Esta Aqui: Guia del Seguro Medico Para Ninos en Tejas que Cabe en su Presupuesto”Spanish-language guide to health insurance options for Texas children, including Medicaid, CHIP, Texas Healthy Kids Corporation insurance, and the State Kids Insurance Plan (SKIP). Includes extensive information about program eligibility and how to apply. The guide was produced through a cooperative effort between Texas Rural Legal Aid and the Migrant Clinicians Network. In Adobe Acrobat
- “You are Here: A Guide to Health Insurance for Texas Children that Fits Your Budget”English-language version. In Adobe Acrobat
Hill-Burton Act
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)administers the Hill-Burton Free Care Program
- Explanation of the Hill-Burton Free Care Program
- Listing of Hill-Burton Obligated Facilities by State and City
- Hill-Burton Hotlineprovides information about program eligibility and obligated facilities in the caller’s area
County Indigent Health Care Program (CIHCP)
- Texas Department of Health Indigent Health Care Divisionprovides information about eligibility, services, and state assistance funds under the County Indigent Health Care Program
Free or Low-Cost Prescription Drugs
Most pharmaceutical companies have “prescription drug assistance programs” that provide free or low-cost prescription drugs to patients who can’t afford them. These programs vary considerably from company to company and from drug to drug. Physicians or other health care providers must apply to the programs on their patients’ behalf, but patients can obtain program information and applications themselves. The following sites help patients and physicians to access these programs.
- Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) Directory of Prescription Drug Patient Assistance Programsprovides information about the programs of over 50 companies
- Medicare.gov Guide to Prescription Drug Assistance Programsprovides information about Medicare Managed Plans, Medigap plans covering prescription drug coverage, and some pharmaceutical companies’ assistance programs
- Needymeds.comprovides information on the programs of over 100 companies
- RxAssistprovides physicians with information and forms for applying to more than 100 companies’ programs
- RxHope helps physicians apply for assistance on behalf of their patients
- The Medicine Program assists patients and their physicians in applying for assistance. The program requires a $5 application fee per drug requested, but the money is refunded if the patient doesn’t receive prescription assistance within 120 days
Other Helpful Sites
- American Society of Trial Consultantsfind ASTC members nationwide. Site provides contact information, areas of expertise and a link to the consultant’s Web site , if available
- Chilling Effectssite devoted to the legal protection of online speech; addresses topics including fan fiction, copyright and trademark, linking, parody and criticism.
- LegalVote.comsite allows a virtual jury to weigh in on a case after reviewing a summary prepared by the lawyer
- Internet Tools for Lawyershelpful site containing articles, links, how-to guides
- Skipeasesearch tool to find people quickly; research property ownership, Social Security numbers: death, birth and marriage records, professional licenses, etc.
- LexisONEfree court opinions, legal forms
- The Religious Liberty Archivevirtual library of religious freedom law, containing full texts of pertinent U.S. Supreme Court cases since 1815, federal and state laws, treatises, historical materials, news of recent developments and links to related materials.
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justicecurrent descriptions of the TLPJ caseload and a library of its briefs and filings, links to more than 2,000 web resources
- Legal Writing Successweb-based service that connects to a network of lawyers available to perform research, writing, rewriting and editing