National Health Law Program (NHeLP)

03/30/2026

NHeLP in the news! Doula care is gaining momentum nationwide, with growing support from the medical community and expanding insurance coverage. According to the National Health Law Program, 30+ states now cover doulas through Medicaid (up from 14 in 2022), and private insurers are following suit. Expanding access means more families can benefit from this critical support.

Doulas provide physical and emotional support before, during and after birth

03/30/2026

SPECIAL PROJECT ATTORNEY. NHeLP is seeking a full-time Special Project Attorney for a two-year term. The Special Project Attorney will help develop and operate NHeLP’s Medicaid Access Strategy Hub. This is a project-based, 24-month position. The Hub provides an online community forum for individuals engaging in advocacy, monitoring, and implementation of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) to mitigate its harmful impact and ensure as many individuals as possible retain their Medicaid or other health program enrollment.

Apply to Special Project Attorney - Medicaid Access Strategy Hub at National Health Law Program in Chapel Hill, NC.

03/29/2026

NHeLP seeks a creative, proactive Content & Brand Associate to help shape, strengthen and advance the organization’s brand across all platforms. This is a hands-on role for an organized self-starter who combines strong design and storytelling skills with strategic thinking about how NHeLP shows up in the world. This is a role for someone eager to use their artistic and creative skills to advance health equity and social change.

Apply to Brand & Content Associate at National Health Law Program in Remote.

03/26/2026

Complicated Medicaid eligibility requirements. OBBBA’s complex Medicaid eligibility changes raises the risk of serious system errors. Advocates should push for strong pre-launch testing, including real-world scenarios and enrollee input, to catch issues before they harm coverage. https://healthlaw.org/timely-tips-to-safeguard-medicaid/

03/26/2026

States must submit Medicaid Managed Care Program Annual Reports (MCPARs) annually for each of their managed care programs. Examining the MCPARs for one state, North Carolina, reveals how the role and structure of MCPARs as oversight tools are helpful, but there are also ways to make them more useful to advocates. This evaluation of North Carolina’s MCPARs also looks at the connection between the reports and the types of sanctions that can be, and were, imposed on the state’s Medicaid managed care organizations (MCOs). It also examines how those sanctions are reported in the MCPAR and offers actionable recommendations to strengthen oversight and accountability where the MCPARs fall short. By Daniel Young

03/24/2026

Welcome to NHeLP! Jessica Castro is the Community Manager for the Federal Advocacy Strategy Area at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP). https://healthlaw.org/team/jessica-castro/

03/24/2026

Welcome to NHeL! Chelsie Azevedo is NHeLP’s Operations Coordinator, supporting the Mission Coordination Team in the day-to-day business operations that keep the organization running effectively. https://healthlaw.org/team/chelsie-azevedo/

03/24/2026

NHeLP is seeking a full-time Health Care Project Coordinator for a three-year (36 months) term. This is a project-based position. The Project Coordinator will work primarily with the CASA team. NHeLP’s CASA team work is focused on the implementation of H.R. 1, or the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), to ensure as many Californians as possible maintain access to Medi-Cal and other sources of health coverage and benefits.

Apply to Health Care Project Coordinator at National Health Law Program in Remote.

03/24/2026

Welcome to NHeLP! Becca Friedman, JD, MSc, is a Staff Attorney at the National Health Law Program (NHeLP), where she is a member of the Federal Advocacy team. Becca works to mitigate harmful impacts of federal legislation and help individuals maintain access to Medicaid and other health coverage. https://healthlaw.org/team/becca-friedman/

03/24/2026

NHeLP IN THE NEWS! Over the past 13 years, at least 26 states have begun requiring Medicaid coverage for doulas, according to the National Health Law Program’s Doula Medicaid Project. Four states, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana and Rhode Island, require some private plans to do the same.
Doulas typically spend hours getting to know their clients, discussing how they would like to give birth and advocating for those wishes during labor and delivery. During the birth, they can help with nonmedical pain management by suggesting different positions and breathing techniques. Once women are home with their baby, some doulas can guide them through breastfeeding and even help prepare healthy meals.

While more Medicaid patients and even some on private plans have gained doula coverage in recent years, United is the first major insurer to begin rolling out the benefit nationwide.