Erica Pun, 3L, recently received a post-graduate fellowship with Equal Justice Works for 2008. These fellowships are very difficult to obtain and Santa Clara University School of Law congratulates her on this honor.
The Equal Justice Works Fellowships Program creates partnerships among public interest lawyers, nonprofit organizations, law firm/corporate sponsors and other donors in order to afford underrepresented populations effective access to the justice system.
Below is the summary of Erica’s project. She will be implementing the Medical Debt Advocacy Project at the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County this fall.
"Medical debt drastically affects an individual’s financial situation, access to health care, and ultimately, physical wellness. For uninsured or underinsured, low-income patients, the crippling effect of medical debt is magnified. Unpaid medical bills lead to ruined credit, debt collection lawsuits and even bankruptcy, which affects access to food and housing. Because patients defer medical care when they cannot afford to pay their bills, medical debt is also a barrier to health care. California’s 2007 Hospital Fair Pricing Policies Act provides safeguards for low-income patients by mandating that hospitals offer charity care and discounts, and by restricting collection practices. Using this new consumer protection law, I will provide legal advocacy to patients with medical debt, pursue legislative improvements, and explore affirmative litigation against local hospitals in order to combat the devastating effect of medical debt on San Mateo County’s most vulnerable patients. The goal of the Medical Debt Advocacy Project is to Improve health care access for uninsured and underinsured patients through legal advocacy by using
California’s new consumer protection statute to combat the effects of medical debt."
