Date:   April 15, 2013

Name of Attorneys: Ilana Kameros and Michele Masucci
Name of Firm:    Nixon Peabody LLP
Client Served:   Met Council on Jewish Poverty (“Met Council”)

Accomplishment:  Negotiated two term sheets between Met Council and a managed long term care program for a partnership to provide enhanced care to 3,000 clients.

Specific Case Highlights:  Founded in 1972, Met Council on Jewish Poverty (“Met Council”) is one of New York’s largest human services agencies, providing 100,000 New Yorkers with critical services in their fight against poverty every year.  These services range from crisis intervention, kosher food pantries, career training and assistance, domestic violence counseling, health insurance enrollment, affordable housing, home care, and home repairs and furnishings.

As a way of broadening its social services, Met Council sought to enter into a partnership with a managed long term care provider.  Through this partnership, Met Council would make care coordination services available to the provider's Managed Long Term Care program (“MLTC”), its Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly and its Medicare Advantage Plus benefits plan.  In addition, this collaboration would allow Met Council to provide both care planning and care coordination to its affiliated enrollees that are licensed home care agencies, who would in turn provide certain covered services to clients of the MLTC program.

In April 2012, Ilana Kameros and Michele Masucci of Nixon Peabody LLP volunteered to assist Met Council with documenting this relationship.  The Nixon team assisted Met Council in negotiating two term sheets with the managed long term care provider.  In addition, Ms. Kameros and Ms. Masucci drafted and negotiated contracts memorializing the term sheets and discussing the obligations and statutory compliance associated with becoming a Utilization Review Agent under and New York Public Health Law Article 49.  As a result of this partnership, Met Council is able to better position itself in the long term care industry and can offer more enriched services to the 3,000 homebound people it serves.

Ilene Marcus, Met Council’s Chief of Staff, had high praise for the Nixon Peabody attorneys, stating, “Ilana and Michele were extremely helpful in this process. They assisted us in determining the right service model and actualizing that vision.  Ilana took the time to learn about the health care field and was very thorough.  Michele was wonderful as well and is currently working on another project with us.” Met Council Board member Dr. Aran Ron adds, "Met Council could not have done this without the advice and work of Ilana and Michele at Nixon Peabody. We are grateful that they have become part of our cause to help the neediest in the community."

About Lawyers Alliance for New York: Lawyers Alliance for New York is the leading provider of business and transactional legal services for nonprofit organizations that are improving the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods. By connecting lawyers, nonprofits, and communities, we help nonprofits to develop affordable housing, stimulate economic development, promote community arts, and operate and advocate for vital programs for children and young people, the elderly, and other low-income New Yorkers. Each year, staff attorneys at Lawyers Alliance and more than 1,300 volunteers serve more than 600 clients.

Inquiries: Please contact Marketing and Communications Manager Emily Crossan at 212-219-1800 ext. 233 with questions or requests for additional information.