Legal Aid's FAP Program Helps This Family to Obtain Healthcare Services

"Brianna" is a medically fragile child who was discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of a serious medical condition. She qualified for at-home nursing care under her health care coverage, but after several months had passed, her insurer was still looking for a qualified nurse to be assigned to her case. 

Brianna's mother Mary, though not a medical professional, had assumed the sole responsibility for her daughter's care and was exhausted and overwhelmed. 

Following a referral from our partner agency Community Gatepath, Brianna's case came to Legal Aid's Peninsula Family Advocacy Program (FAP), a medical-legal partnership that addresses legal problems which adversely impact the health of low-income patients.

The FAP attorney discussed the case with Mary, and informed her of Brianna's legal right to appropriate at-home care. The attorney then immediately filed a grievance with the Health Plan. Shortly after the grievance was filed, Brianna was hospitalized again. In the meantime, Brianna's nursing care was approved and a nurse was assigned to care for Brianna as soon as she was discharged from the hospital. 

Mary is relieved that her daughter is now receiving the appropriate care at home, and grateful that Brianna's health and wellbeing are now being supported by a skilled nurse.

Legal Aid continues to stay the course for our clients, providing legal remedies to families like Mary and Brianna's.

To protect client confidentiality, all client names have been changed.