The Access Project: Home

	FEATURED WORK *TAP Director Testifies Before Congress, May 12, 2010 at the hearing* "Use of Credit Information Beyond Lending: Issues and Reform Proposals" of the House Committee on Financial Services on the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. The archived webcast, witness list and prepared testimony can be viewed here. NEW REPORT RELEASED MAY 2010* "Best Kept Secrets: Are Non-Profit Hospitals Informing Patients About Charity Care Programs?" presents the findings of a survey of non-profit hospitals to see if they are conforming to the AHA guidelines that require them to develop written charity care policies and make them widely available. Download the Report or Read more... *The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Innovations Exchange has profiled our Medical Debt Resolution Program* The Innovation Profile describes the program's development, results, and lessons learned. Read more... *The Access Project is Partnering with a Consortium of Non-Profit Organizations led by the Aspen Institute on an Initiative to Develop an On-Line Asset Platform* This platform will serve as a resource for staff at non-profit, social service organizations that provide financial education, coaching and asset development services. It will feature The Access Project's Medical Debt Resolution Program and is expected to be available to the general public in May 2010.		THE ACCESS PROJECT (TAP) IN THE PRESS July 14, 2010 Medical Credit Cards: Pros and Cons AARP Bulletin \| Read article \| by Tamara E. Holmes June 14, 2010 New Health Law Could Shield Women from Poverty Womensenews.org \| Read article \| by Sharon Johnson, WeNews correspondent May 21, 2010 How to Negotiate Your Medical Bills WalletPop \| Read article \| by Lita Epstein May 17, 2010 Lawmakers Hold Hearing on the Use of Credit Checks in Hiring Decisions Security Management \| Read article \| by Teresa Anderson May 13, 2010 Lawmaker: Purge Record of the Debt Soon After It's Paid The Columbus Dispatch \| Read article \| by Jonathan Riskind May 6, 2010 Study Shows Nonprofit Hospitals Under-Publicize Charity Care FierceHealthcare \| Read article \| by Debra Beaulieu May 5, 2010 Few Tax-exempt Hospitals Offer Details on Charity Care for Needy Patients HealthLeaders Media \| Read article \| by John Commins, for HealthLeaders Media May 5, 2010 Advocacy Groups Say Hospitals Don't Provide Enough Information to Patients About Charity Care The Columbus Dispatch \| Read article \| by Suzanne Hoholik May 5, 2010 Consumer Groups Criticize Hospitals On Publicizing Charity Care Kaiser Health News \| Read article \| by Julie Appleby, KHN Staff Writer March 23, 2010 7 Questions to Lower Health Care Costs Bankrate.com \| Read article \| by Vanessa Richardson, Bankrate.com March 1, 2010 Tips to Prevent Medical Bills from Getting Overdue LA Times \| Read article \| by Francesca Lunzer Kritz January 20, 2010 Senate Upset Foils Democrats' Health Reform Agenda HealthDay \| Read article \| by Karen Pallarito, HealthDay Reporter January 13, 2010 Pelosi Fights for More Low Income Subsidies in Healthcare U.S. News & World Report \| Read article \| by Kent Garber December 28, 2009 Farm Groups Mixed On Benefits Of Reform hutchnews.com \| Read article \| by Amy Bickel, The Hutchinson News
	LEGISLATIVE ACTION *The Access Project applauds Ohio Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy* for introducing the Medical Debt Relief Act of 2009 (HR 3421). This legislation addresses the widespread problem of medical debt on credit reports. The Act would require the removal from a consumer's credit report of medical accounts that have been fully paid within 30 days of being settled. The proposal could provide relief to millions of Americans who have had their credit scores lowered due to medical accounts that have been fully paid off yet can remain on a credit report for up to seven years. Read more, including Rep. Kilroy's responses to questions posed to her by TAP... TAP Executive Director Mark Rukavina posts on the New America Foundation's blog about the Medical Debt Relief Act. Press: 6/7/2010, Dallas Morning News, "Healthy Idea: Separating Medical Debt From Other Debt" by columnist Pamela Yip
	MOVIE RELEASE *Do No Harm, a new documentary produced by Kindling Group,* tells the story of a two reluctant whistleblowers in a small Georgia town who endure relentless attacks as they struggle to draw national attention to hospital corruption and the plight of the uninsured. Visit the Do No Harm website