Externship Items | Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW)

Externship Description

Community Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) is a not-for-profit managed care organization, established in 1992 by a statewide network of federally qualified health centers. Today, CHPW is the only not-for-profit managed care organization serving Washington's Medicaid members. CHPW provides comprehensive health care coverage to more than 260,000 Washington residents through its Medicaid (Apple Health) and Medicare Advantage managed care programs. CHPW is committed to meeting the needs and improving the health of our communities by making quality managed health care accessible to all Washington state residents. CHPW's main corporate office is located in the heart of the financial district in downtown Seattle. CHPW also maintains regional offices in the North Sound (Mount Vernon), Southwest Washington (Vancouver), Spokane (Spokane), and Greater Columbia (Pasco) regions.

CHPW's legal team is an integral part of CHPW's strategic and day-to-day operations, providing a full range of legal services and counsel to CHPW's internal departments and executive leadership team. The legal department is a small, collaborative team of experienced attorneys from varied backgrounds, who are committed to CHPW's mission and the success of our client departments. The legal department is led by Collin Foulds, Vice President and General Counsel, and staffed by two Associate Counsels, Alia Kaneko and Marisa Guevara. Our work varies substantially, but our primary areas of practice include health law, non-profit governance, government contracts, administrative law, and corporate law.

CHPW externs will be exposed to a range of legal work and will have opportunities to work closely with each of the attorneys, to engage directly with clients, and to develop and hone practical legal skills as part of an inclusive, fun, and dedicated in-house team. The extern's scope of work will vary based on their areas of interest and prior experience, but may include:

- Drafting motions, preparing witnesses, and participating in administrative hearings;

- Reviewing and drafting new vendor contracts, and advising clients regarding interpretation of and compliance with existing contracts;

- Researching, analyzing, and interpreting state (e.g., Health Care Authority, Office of the Insurance Commissioner,) and federal (e.g. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) proposed rules, final rules, and sub-regulatory guidance, and advising clients on matters of regulatory compliance; and

- Developing responses to provider disputes, including reviewing documentation, analyzing applicable contract provisions and regulations, and consulting with CHPW management.

Requirements

CHPW seeks externship candidates with a demonstrated interest in health law who are in their second or third year of law school or pursing an advanced legal degree. CHPW does not offer wage or other compensation to externs, nor do we accept externs on a volunteer basis. Candidates must be in good standing with their law school and receive course credit for their externship in accordance with their school's requirements. CHPW requires externs to commit to a regular schedule with a minimum of two four-hour days or one six-hour day a week and to abide by CHPW rules, policies, and guidelines at all times during the term of their externship. Because CHPW is a health care entity that receives public funds, it also requires externs to pass a routine background check and sanction screening, to sign a confidentiality agreement, and to review and attest to a brief compliance training.