White paper: Investing in Legal Advocacy for Better Health
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Download the white paper, "Investing in Legal Advocacy for Better Health"
This white paper examines three years (FY 2015-2017) of financial benefit to Seattle Children’s Hospital and its patients as a result of medical-legal partnership services. It looks at the costs avoided and revenue collected for the health care institution and patients as a result of MLP interventions, acknowledging the complex collaboration of many other hospital advocates in patient care. Among the papers findings:
- From 2015-2017, the Washington Medical-Legal Partnerships assisted over 1,000 patients. Three cases alone recovered nearly $700,000 for the hospital through insurance appeals and establishing guardianships that led to new insurance coverage.
- Washington Medical-Legal Partnership’s advocacy for at-home nursing care, guardianships established through immigration visas, and housing benefits, helped patients avoid over 100 days of hospital admissions.
- For cases resolved during this three year period, 23 families from Seattle Children’s and Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic were reported to have achieved greater financial stability via increased social security income, special education benefits, Medicaid benefits, housing benefits, and child support, as well as through debt relief. The total value of these financial benefits was $469,446.