Health Law Student Group Receives Grant to Increase Low-Income Access to Medical Resources

Triangle Area Guide to Low-Cost Health Care
and Legal Services Related to Health Needs

PDF: go.unc.edu/chlo19

The North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorneys awarded the Carolina Health Law Organization at UNC School of Law a $1,500 grant to create a resource for low-income individuals seeking pro bono and reduced-fee legal and consumer services related to health care.

The law student organization, known as CHLO, aims to expose its members to the broad practice area of health law. CHLO does this through organizing valuable lectures and career-oriented events, as well as connecting students with various pro bono projects and employment opportunities that are highly responsive to policy changes.

During the 2018-2019 school year, CHLO plans to launch a pro bono project with guidance from the North Carolina Bar Association’s Health Law Section to create a comprehensive resource of free/reduced-fee health care, legal and consumer help services for health-related concerns around the Triangle area of the state. By connecting with local health care providers, academic and organizational stakeholders, as well as lawyers and legal advocates, students will acquire and disseminate information about services spanning filing for insurance reimbursements or billing fraud issues, Medicaid denials, Marketplace enrollment, ethics claims, and complaints to the North Carolina Medical Board, among other concerns. Through this project, CHLO hopes to increase access to medical-legal resources for low-income individuals before their needs have escalated to emergency status.

Nur Kara

Mara Howard-Williams

Alec Mercolino

Suzanne Zelenka

CHLO’s president this year is Nur Kara 2L. Mara Howard-Williams 2L is vice president, Alec Mercolino 2L is the pro bono coordinator and treasurer, and Suzanne Zelenka 2L is secretary. The organization is supervised by Professor Richard Saver and Professor Joan Krause.

Students from CHLO plan to present the results of their project at the North Carolina Society of Health Care Attorney’s annual meeting in Fall 2019.

Law students who would like to get involved with CHLO may contact Kara at nkara@live.unc.edu.