Alexandra Warren

The Project

Alexandra expands healthcare access for immigrant communities who are experiencing low-income situations in Massachusetts through direct legal representation, policy advocacy, and community outreach.

Through the Public Charge rule, non-U.S. citizens could have their admission to the United States denied or their applications for lawful permanent residency refused. In March 2021, it was announced that the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule would no longer be in effect. Despite the end of that rule, immigrants still fear its effects and do not to enroll in or upgrade their health insurance coverage, incurring unaffordable medical debt or a lack of access to medical services due to being uninsured or underinsured. Alexandra works to identify and alleviate these barriers to healthcare access.

Fellowship Highlights to Date

During the first year of the Fellowship, Alexandra has:

• Grown the project into a fully operational Medical-Legal Partnership for Immigrants with Rian Immigrant Center and Boston Medical Center, and Alexandra receives legal referrals from Boston Medical Center.
• Alexandra has provided brief advice and full representation to 68 clients in healthcare access, unaffordable medical debt, and insurance enrollment cases.
• She has given five trainings on the intersection of health insurance eligibility and immigration.
• She has been active in three legislative coalitions focused on healthcare access for immigrants, healthcare access for young people, language access, and Medicaid reform and contributed to policy-based efforts to alleviate barriers to healthcare for immigrants.

Next Steps

In the next year, Alexandra plans to:

• Continue to provide direct representation to clients in their insurance enrollment, unaffordable medical debt, and health insurance access.
• Assist in the expansion of the Medical-Legal Partnership to two additional health providers.
• Develop pro bono clinics for her sponsors and volunteer lawyers and law students.
• Take an active role in policy advocacy initiatives in the policy coalitions she works with, and identify new coalitions to work with, to increase the project’s profile within immigrant communities.

Media