LAW 5538: Medicare and Medicaid Practicum - 2174

Medicare and Medicaid Practicum
Class Term:
Spring Term 2016-2017
Catalog Number:
5538
Class Number:
30098
Type:
Practicum
Credits:
2 (0 Contact, 0 Field)
Graduation Requirements:
Professional Skills
Experiential Learning
Priority:
Limited Enrollment - 3rd Year Priority
Full Year Course:
No
Category:
Standard Courses

Additional Information

Students may enroll in this course for either the fall semester, or the fall and spring semesters (but not the spring semester alone). Registration for both semesters is preferred, and preference in enrollment will be given to students who enroll in both semesters. The fall semester focuses on introducing the students to the concepts, structure, function, and vocabulary of the Medicare and Medicaid systems and emphasizes the development of client counseling skills. By the end of the fall semester, the students will be prepared and should be confident to tackle the more complex and difficult cases that they will receive during the spring semester.

Grading Details

Attendance and participation in client counseling = 100% of grade
(For this semester, the entire grade is dependent upon being present for the scheduled rotation sessions and the student’s actual participation in the counseling process. Elements for evaluation are the same as the fall semester: did student fulfill required attendance hours; did student accept and complete all counseling assignments; did student follow the client counseling protocol for each counseling session; did student correctly and completely maintain a client file for each counseling assignment, or properly up-date existing client files. The cases assigned to students this semester, however, will generally be more complex and more difficult than the fall semester’s cases, and will require a greater amount of time to complete. Because assigned cases will require several hours to complete and span multiple rotation sessions this semester, emphasis will be placed on creating and maintaining a comprehensive and up-dated client files.)

Research Option = 25% of grade
(At the beginning of the semester students may request to do a research project that will represent one quarter of their course hours and one quarter of their grade. The project must be pre-approved by the instructor before the beginning of the spring semester. The topic and direction of the project must have practical application in expanding the APPRISE program’s knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid, and expanding the program’s capability of assisting clients with Medicare and Medicaid issues. Elements for evaluation are: the project’s written description and time line with specific deliverable dates; adherence to the deliverable deadlines; and the content and form of the final presentation.

Description

Any lawyer who anticipates a practice that includes Elder Law, Poverty Law, Health Law or Insurance Law needs to have a fundamental understanding of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Over 48 million individuals are currently enrolled in Medicare; over 40 million individuals are currently enrolled in Medicaid; and over 10 million are enrolled in both. For individuals 65 years and older, the costs of accessing health care and prescription medications represent, on average, more than 20% of their gross annual income. Beyond that, Medicare and Medicaid are significant national institutions that account for large percentages of federal and states resources. The continued scope and capacity of these programs represent fundamental issues in the national political debate. This course is designed to provide law students with an understanding of the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the practical skills for using this information to serve their clients. We will examine the purpose and design of Medicare and Medicaid; the Medicare and Medicaid vocabulary; and the criteria for eligibility and enrollment in these programs.

Medicare and Medicaid Practicum