NPAF Volunteer State Policy Liaisons

At both State and Federal levels, NPAF seeks legislative and regulatory reforms that increase access to needed medical care for all individuals. NPAF's State Government Affairs program supports over 75 volunteer State Policy Liaisons throughout the U.S. who provide focused intelligence and engagement with healthcare policy dialog and action that affect access to care in their own states. State Policy Liaisons take the initiative, with our assistance as needed, to address varied challenges and opportunities in access to healthcare for the citizens of their own states. State Policy Liaisons:

• Deliver advocacy messages to state legislators who need a patient perspective during the policy-making process
• Participate as citizen advocates in public forums determining regulatory conditions that affect access issues for needed therapies
• Educate and advocate on specific access-to-care principles and priorities with legislators, regulatory officials, and other stakeholders in their home states, providing NPAF presence and leadership for other advocates
• Pursue recognition of a Patient Advocate Day in their own states
• Contribute to important NPAF advocacy campaigns at the Federal level
• Conduct outreach to explain the missions of Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation

NPAF Volunteer State Policy Liaisons come from all walks of life. They are attorneys, social workers, teachers, nurses, healthcare administrators, physicians, caregivers, and survivors of severe chronic illnesses. Volunteer State Policy Liaisons (SPLs) are provided with dedicated direction and educational tools. SPLs share a web-based intranet headquarters which provides health policy news, legislative and regulatory tracking, health policy references and other resources, and an online discussion board to facilitate knowledge and networking. At least once a year, SPLs are invited to a training seminar to learn more about why state health policy is significant in the quest to increase access to healthcare for all people. We compare notes, track trends, upgrade advocacy skills, and meet with legislators and regulators. 

For example, in 2006, SPL participants in NPAF's CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) ACCESS Regional Health Policy Seminars:

• Met their own region's CMS directors and other regulatory officials

• Heard how federal CMS initiatives affect the region's states
• Learned about the region's Medicaid state plans, amendments, waivers, and demonstration projects
• Discussed the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 potential impact on states' efforts to cover the uninsured
• Reviewed NPAF's 2006 state legislative and regulatory priorities and positions regarding:
  1. Assisting the uninsured
  2. Diagnosis of cancer as immediate qualifier for Medicaid, including immediate provisional eligibility for women diagnosed with breast and cervical cancer
  3. Reauthorization of SCHIP and expansion of SCHIP to parents of enrolled children
  4. How to reduce formularies and evidence-based medicine guidelines' impact on access to medically necessary healthcare
• Refreshed state health policy basics, relationship development, and advocacy skills
• Practiced communication, intelligence-gathering, and tracking skills in legislative and regulatory environments

The NPAF Volunteer State Policy Liaison position is invited. We currently seek Volunteer SPLs in several states. If you are interested in bringing the patient voice to bear on health policy dialog in your own state, and in contributing to the NPAF missions of increasing access to healthcare, please send us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Please provide your name, contact information, relevant background, and a statement of your interest. You will be contacted by NPAF staff in a short period of time. Thank you!