The Opportunity

Health Law Advocates (HLA) is a dynamic non-profit, public interest law firm that provides free legal services to Massachusetts residents with low incomes who face barriers to accessing health care coverage and services. HLA also engages in public policy advocacy, systemic litigation, and educational programming to promote access to care for all.

Our General Legal Practice (GLP) team specializes in challenging errors in health insurance enrollment, fighting denials of coverage for specific services, and protecting patients from illegal medical billing and collection practices. Our GLP team devotes particular attention to the health care problems faced by immigrants, trans and gender diverse people, and patients with long-term care needs.

Learn more about HLA at https://www.healthlawadvocates.org/.

The Staff Attorney will serve as a member of the GLP team and will primarily serve clients facing issues involving public health insurance benefits, but there will be some flexibility to assist clients with private insurance matters as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Represent/advise income-qualified clients who primarily rely on MassHealth, subsidized Health Connector plans and the Health Safety Net to access health care (70%).

• Matters typically involve clients denied enrollment in state coverage programs, clients denied coverage for specific health services by such programs, and clients with unaffordable medical bills.
• Strategies usually involve representing clients in communications, including negotiations, with MassHealth/Connector officials, health care providers, and MassHealth managed care entities, as well as appearances before the Office of Medicaid Board of Hearings.
• There may be opportunities to participate in litigation; specifically, state court appeals of final MassHealth determinations, medical debt defense cases, and drafting amicus briefs.

Advocate for regulatory policies that benefit income-qualified consumers with the Office of Medicaid, Health Connector and other relevant public agencies (20%).

• Typical advocacy activities include attending regular advocacy coalition meetings with state officials, participating in internal strategy development and information sharing with HLA staff and partner organizations, drafting and delivering testimony on regulatory proposals and occasionally legislative proposals, and representing HLA in advocacy coalitions.
• Policy advocacy will include being HLA's point person on select MassHealth policy matters.

Conduct outreach to consumers and advocacy groups, including via trainings and presentations (6%).

Identify and research areas requiring systemic change through advocacy or impact litigation (3%).

Assist with drafting/reviewing grant applications and reports or portions thereof (sporadic) (0.5%)

Participation in internal HLA efforts to improve our organization's internal and external practices, such as through our diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work (0.5%).

Health Law Advocates is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at the individual, organizational, and systems levels. We make time for all staff to take part in activities designed to identify and dismantle instances of inequity within ourselves, within our organization, within our client community, and within the larger community and Commonwealth.

More specific activities include:

• Connecting with clients and, where relevant, their families, social services providers, and medical providers
• Conducting legal research and writing
• Analyzing medical, health insurance, and other relevant records
• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with advocacy partners
• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with MassHealth, The Health Connector, and managed care plans
• Managing case files and documenting all activities in our case management software
• Promoting HLA in the community

GLP Staff Attorney Qualifications

All HLA employees are expected to have the skills to:

• Work both independently and as an effective team member
• Collaborate with and support staff at all levels of our organization
• Communicate clearly and professionally
• Maintain confidentiality and, for attorneys, strict adherence to all professional responsibility requirements for the practice of law
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and openness, with the desire and ability to listen and learn
• Understand and believe in the mission of the organization
• Embody the values of the organization, including a commitment to decreasing inequity in our health care system and society as a whole

Minimum requirements specific to this position include:

• Juris Doctor degree and license to practice law in Massachusetts
• 4+ years of relevant work experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong advocacy skills

Other preferred qualifications:

• Experience working in direct legal services
• Experience working with individuals in crisis
• Proven ability to handle a substantial caseload
• Knowledge of and experience working with state and federal health care coverage and consumer protection laws, particularly Medicaid/MassHealth, the Affordable Care Act and M.G.L. c. 93A
• Experience counseling or representing consumers on health insurance coverage issues;
• Public policy development or policy advocacy experience, preferably relating to health care policy
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and foster growth in junior staff
• Demonstrated cultural competence
• Bilingual proficiency, specifically in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, and/or Cape Verdean Creole

Compensation

The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $75,000 (based on experience and other qualifications). HLA offers a robust benefits package including comprehensive health insurance and a generous paid leave policy.

To Apply

Applications must be submitted online at https://hlainc.efficientapply.com/jobs/ and will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Please include a cover letter.

HLA is committed to diversity in its workforce. A crucial part of HLA's vision is supporting cultural and linguistic competence, as well as ensuring diversity of staff and volunteers, so we can best serve our clients. Women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, people of color, and people who speak English as a second language are encouraged to apply.