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The National Health Law Program is a nonprofit legal and policy advocacy organization founded in Los Angeles, CA in 1969. The mission of the organization is to protect and advance the health and civil rights of low-income and undeserved individuals and families in the United States. The organization addresses these rights through litigation, policy advocacy and technical assistance to state partners.

History
The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) was initially established as a backup legal center by Ruth & Milton Roemer at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1969. The program (then named The National Legal Program on Health Problems of the Poor) was funded through a grant from the federal Office of Economic Opportunity, and was charged with providing legal research, teaching and training for lawyers interested in public interest law. Over its history, the organization has added active offices in Washington D.C. and Chapel Hill, NC, as well as their founding location in California.

Activities
NHeLP employs attorneys with experience in health law and civil rights areas. The organization's attorneys litigate in partnership with state health advocacy groups primarily on behalf of low-income, disabled or other underserved clients. Specialty areas include non-discrimination cases, Medicaid and Medicare eligibility, mental health, disability law and reproductive health. Additionally, NHeLP secures support from pro bono partners who assist with litigation. The organization's Amicus Project identifies national cases of interest in health law to submit amicus curiae briefs, to express and advocate for certain legal arguments in outside cases.

Clinton Health Care Reform Effort

During the first term of President Bill Clinton, NHeLP advocated for the administration's proposal to reform the U.S. health care system. The proposal, which among other things would have extended health coverage to low-income Americans, ultimately did not gain sufficient support in the 103rd United States Congress to become law.

Affordable Care Act
NHeLP supported passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The organization worked with the Obama administration and the 111th Congress to provide input on the law, notably its' non-discrimination provisions and those that pertain to Medicaid. Since the law's passage, the organization has also engaged in various advocacy and legal efforts to maintain or further extend the law. For example, NHeLP has filed amicus curiae briefs arguing to uphold the ACA in each of the major Supreme Court challenges since passage: National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012), King v. Burwell (2015) and California v. Texas (2021)

Civil Rights and Cultural Competency in Health Care

NHeLP has conducted research on standards for ensuring appropriate linguistic and cultural competency standards in healthcare. NHeLP's review of state law requirements and Medicaid managed care contract language at the state level was referenced by the federal HHS Office of Minority Health during the development of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (CLAS Standards). The standards were first released in 2000, with NHeLP among several partners helping to update them in 2010.