Sarah Somers is the Legal Director at the National Health Law Program. In this role, Sarah leads NHeLP’s legal and policy staff, which has more than doubled in size and capacity since 2017 in response to both threats to health care access and opportunities to pursue greater health equity. As the Legal Director, Sarah oversees multiple teams that are dedicated to preserving access to care, correcting disparities, promoting health policies that prioritize individuals, and providing training and support to advocates. She strives to ensure that all teams are aligned and work efficiently towards the realization of our shared vision.
Prior to this, Sarah served as the Managing Attorney of the National Health Law Program’s North Carolina office.
As a committed advocate, Sarah also works with advocates across the country, engaging in litigation, research, writing, and training on the Medicaid program, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Affordable Care Act, among other issues.
Sarah is a co-author of the National Health Law Program’s flagship publication, An Advocates Guide to the Medicaid Program, which is currently being revised for the 2023 edition. Her other publications include A North Carolina Advocate’s Guide to the Medicaid Program (2006), The Ongoing Racial Paradox of the Medicaid Program, 16 J. Health and Life Sci. L. 96 (2022); Medicaid’s Gold Standard Coverage for Children and Youth: Past, Present, and Future¸ 30 Annals Health L. & Sci. 153 (co-author) (2021); The Supreme Court Reinforces Barriers to Court Access: Cases from the 2019-2020 Term 13 Ne. U. L. Rev. 575 (co-author) (2021); and Health Care Reform for Native Americans: The Long-Awaited Permanent Reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 44 J. Pov. Law & Policy 365 (Nov-Dec. 2010).