Disability Rights Ohio and Nationwide team up to help Ohioans navigate Medicaid appeals process

March 28, 2017

Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) and Nationwide today announce a new partnership designed to provide pro-bono legal services to Ohio families and children with disabilities. The partnership will help bring much needed legal support to people struggling to obtain access to adequate healthcare services and medical equipment.

The project will pair volunteer attorneys and paralegals from Nationwide with eligible clients entangled in the legal complexities of the Medicaid appeals process. DRO staff will work collaboratively with the Nationwide volunteer team to train, screen and refer eligible clients and provide case preparation and ongoing support. DRO will also track and report outcomes for these clients to show the impact of the partnership. Clients at DRO seek life-changing improvements that critically important healthcare services and medical devices can provide.

"DRO is excited to partner with Nationwide on this program," says DRO Executive Director Michael Kirkman. "We know there is a high demand for legal assistance with Medicaid hearings, and partnerships like this will allow us to expand our capacity and support more Ohioans. Although this initial effort will be small, we hope to use its success to prove the concept and grow the program over time."

"Nationwide is proud to partner with Disability Rights Ohio. Our legal department is staffed with compassionate professionals anxious to contribute their time and talents to those needing access to certain legal services," said Mark Howard, executive vice president and chief legal officer at Nationwide. "What really sets Nationwide apart are our associates and their dedication to serving the communities where they live and work. We are excited to meet this community need."

The project will begin on April 1, 2017. Individuals interested in speaking with a volunteer about a Medicaid administrative case, or for those who want to learn more about eligibility requirements for this program, are encouraged to contact Disability Rights Ohio at 800-282-9181 and select option 2 for intake.

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