A new act introduced by Senator Kit Bond and his colleagues from Iowa and Indiana will try to promote legal assistance that could lead to health care savings. 

Senator Bond, Senator Tom Harkin and Senator Evan Bayh have introduced the medical legal partnerships for health act.  A medical legal partnership would provide legal aid attorneys in the health care setting, allowing patients to get legal advice while they treat a possible illness or take care of an injury.  In a statement today Senator Kit Bond gave an example, domestic violence victims who need medical attention who also need legal counseling on what to do to prevent future abuse.  Bond says in order for some Americans to get the medicare or medicaid benefits for things like lack of heat in the winter, housing issues , or lead paint, people need accessible and affordable legal advice. Bond says with MLP’s there is a 50 percent decrease in ER visits.  The medical legal partnerships for health act is authorized for up to ten million dollars for an evaluation and demonstration program.   It also authorizes hospitals to establish the programs and provides 90 percent funding for a ten percent match.