01.21.2019 / Press Release
Families USA Names Maura Collinsgru Health Care HEALTH CARE VALUE Advocate of the Year Award Winner
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today Families USA announced that Maura Collinsgru is the winner of its Health Care Value Advocate of the Year award. She is being recognized for her leadership in health care advocacy at New Jersey Citizen Action and for her role in the adoption of the Out-of-Network Consumer Protection Transparency Cost Containment and Accountability Act by the New Jersey legislature in 2018.
Each year at its Health Action conference, Families USA recognizes the efforts state and community leaders make in advancing social justice through health care advocacy. Awards are presented in recognition of Families USA’s four core areas of focus: Health Equity, Health Care Value, Coverage, and Consumer Engagement. The award recipients, selected for their exemplary work in championing for better health care in their respective communities, will be honored at an awards luncheon during the 2019 Health Action Conference on Friday, Jan. 25 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The recipients’ bios can be found here.
Collinsgru is the Health Care Program Director for New Jersey Citizen Action, a statewide grassroots organization fighting for social and economic justice for all New Jersey’s residents. Collinsgru helped craft the landmark legislation for consumer protections for Out-of-Network surprise medical bills. After years of effort the legislation passed and was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in 2018.
Patrick Willard, senior director of state and national strategic partnerships at Families USA said, “Maura’s work with New Jersey Citizen Action to better protect consumers from surprise medical bills is a win for New Jersey consumers and a model for other states. Her commitment to make health care more affordable will pave the way for health care innovations in the future.”
Other awardees are: Sherry Hirota, chief executive officer, Asian Health Services, for Health Equity; Brian Johns, executive director, Virginia Organizing, for Health Coverage; and Cara Stewart, health law fellow, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, for Consumer Engagement.
Families USA is a bipartisan public interest group that has been fighting for health care consumers since 1981. Its Health Action Conference, in its 24th year, is an annual national grassroots health care conference that gathers consumer health care activists, health care professionals, advocates, policymakers, policy experts, and media to confer on the nation’s health care agenda. Families USA is excited to welcome Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh; Sister Simone Campbell, Executive Director of NETWORK; Stacey Abrams, Founder, Fair Fight; Chirlane McCray, First Lady of New York City and Founder of Thrive NYC; and Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS-3) as keynote speakers.
While online conference registration is closed, individuals who are interested in attending can register to attend the conference at the onsite registration desk starting Wednesday, January 23 at 5:00 pm.Members of the member may request a press pass via email at press@familiesusa.org.
Event: Consumer Health Advocate of the Year Awards Luncheon
Date: Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 Time: 12:15 pm-1:45 pm
Location: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Regency Ballroom