Michigan native handles health care duties amidst hurricanes in Florida
By Jeanine Matlow
Legal News
While preparing for the bar exam, Maggie Leever was offered a unique opportunity to join a managed care team establishing an important legal precedent in the field of health law at Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) in Florida. So, Leever decided to defer her bar preparations to serve as the hospital’s contract liaison where she negotiates and drafts managed-care contracts and forms while managing its relationships with health insurance companies and other health institutions.
“It is my job to know the ins and outs of each of our contracts and utilize that knowledge to ensure we are being paid appropriately according to our negotiated agreement,” says Leever, who also works on active litigation between the hospital and insurance companies.
After college at John Carroll University in Cleveland – where she majored in political science and French with a plan to pursue international law, Leever was still unsure which area to choose.
“I went through phases of interest in different areas, but none that still felt like the right choice after exploring that interest through internships or courses,” she says.
As a result, Leever opted to take a gap year and worked at the Cleveland Clinic coordinating post-surgery units.
“My favorite part of my job was learning something new about medicine and the world of health care every day,” says Leever, who grew up in Farmington Hills. “There was always an interesting case on the floor that led to discussions involving a balance of hospital policy, medicine, ethics, and law. I really wanted to understand how these teams came to these decisions. This led me to start exploring health law career tracks and programs.”
Working at a hospital during the pandemic would mark a formative time in her career, she says.
“I was working the evening shift on the floor of the hospital when the news broke that the U.S. was shutting down for COVID, and it incited quite the panic,” she recalls. “From there, it involved a lot of hours covered in PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), nights spent at the hospital’s connected hotel, and long hours. What was originally intended to be a job to ‘dip my toes’ into the health care system ended up being an extremely intense, yet irreplaceable experience.”
A year later, Leever began law school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where she obtained a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in health policy and a Juris Doctorate.
“While in school, I worked for University Hospitals in the Clinical Research Center. I drafted and managed the oncology clinical trial contracts for the hospital’s large cancer center,” says Leever. “This job really deepened my interest and passion for the intersection of medicine, law and policy. Additionally, negotiating with big pharmaceutical companies definitely helped to prepare me for my current role negotiating with national insurance corporations.”
Since she arrived in Sarasota, Leever has already experienced the tumult of three hurricanes.
“For Helene, everything closed and we did all the hurricane prep, however, we did not feel that large of an impact from the storm,” she says of the hurricane that hit coastal areas in late September. “It was mostly heavy rains and winds. Debby was almost worse for Sarasota with the amount of flooding that occurred. But still, neither of these were anything close to the damage created by Milton.
“The reality of what the storm will be when it hits is very unknown,” Leever adds. “The intensity and path of the storm changes by the hour, so it’s impossible to really know and that’s why it’s best to prepare for the worst if you are anywhere near it.”
For other potential Floridians, Leever suggests checking flood maps when looking for places to live. Residents should evacuate if they are able, as early as possible, according to Leever.
Those like her who need to stay because of their job responsibilities, should know that essentials are hard to find as a storm approaches.
“The moment there is a possibility of a storm, make sure to fill your car with gas as it runs out very quickly,” says Leever of the fuel supply. “Additionally, keeping a supply of water, extra charging packs, flashlights, batteries and non-perishable food is important. I assumed it was just a way to be prepared, so you did not need to go out and get items in the days before the storm, but I quickly realized they suggest it because everything will be sold out within a day.”
During Debby, a tropical storm that made Florida landfall in early August, Leever says her apartment experienced some minor flooding, but not with Milton. The hospital had some signs and fences blown over, but didn’t suffer any major structural damage.
“This was surprising as the hurricane made landfall at Siesta Key, less than three miles away,” she says.
The Sarasota region lost power for several days, which impacted most homes and businesses, including her apartment. Fortunately, the hospital stocks backup supplies, including food and water, and fuel for its generators to ensure their two hospitals, freestanding ER, and nursing home can operate during these emergencies, according to Leever.
SMH offered its working staff round-the-clock child and pet care manned by employee volunteers. The hospital also set up a fuel site with free gas for staff members that remained open for several days after the storm.
“This was essential as all gas stations in Sarasota were empty,” says Leever.
Now, with the hurricane season over, Leever takes full advantage of what the Sunshine State has to offer, heading for the water whenever she gets the chance.
“My usual routine to relax after work and clear my head involves taking my dog to the beach and looking for shells and sea life,” she says.
Legal News
While preparing for the bar exam, Maggie Leever was offered a unique opportunity to join a managed care team establishing an important legal precedent in the field of health law at Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) in Florida. So, Leever decided to defer her bar preparations to serve as the hospital’s contract liaison where she negotiates and drafts managed-care contracts and forms while managing its relationships with health insurance companies and other health institutions.
“It is my job to know the ins and outs of each of our contracts and utilize that knowledge to ensure we are being paid appropriately according to our negotiated agreement,” says Leever, who also works on active litigation between the hospital and insurance companies.
After college at John Carroll University in Cleveland – where she majored in political science and French with a plan to pursue international law, Leever was still unsure which area to choose.
“I went through phases of interest in different areas, but none that still felt like the right choice after exploring that interest through internships or courses,” she says.
As a result, Leever opted to take a gap year and worked at the Cleveland Clinic coordinating post-surgery units.
“My favorite part of my job was learning something new about medicine and the world of health care every day,” says Leever, who grew up in Farmington Hills. “There was always an interesting case on the floor that led to discussions involving a balance of hospital policy, medicine, ethics, and law. I really wanted to understand how these teams came to these decisions. This led me to start exploring health law career tracks and programs.”
Working at a hospital during the pandemic would mark a formative time in her career, she says.
“I was working the evening shift on the floor of the hospital when the news broke that the U.S. was shutting down for COVID, and it incited quite the panic,” she recalls. “From there, it involved a lot of hours covered in PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), nights spent at the hospital’s connected hotel, and long hours. What was originally intended to be a job to ‘dip my toes’ into the health care system ended up being an extremely intense, yet irreplaceable experience.”
A year later, Leever began law school at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where she obtained a Master’s in Public Health with a focus in health policy and a Juris Doctorate.
“While in school, I worked for University Hospitals in the Clinical Research Center. I drafted and managed the oncology clinical trial contracts for the hospital’s large cancer center,” says Leever. “This job really deepened my interest and passion for the intersection of medicine, law and policy. Additionally, negotiating with big pharmaceutical companies definitely helped to prepare me for my current role negotiating with national insurance corporations.”
Since she arrived in Sarasota, Leever has already experienced the tumult of three hurricanes.
“For Helene, everything closed and we did all the hurricane prep, however, we did not feel that large of an impact from the storm,” she says of the hurricane that hit coastal areas in late September. “It was mostly heavy rains and winds. Debby was almost worse for Sarasota with the amount of flooding that occurred. But still, neither of these were anything close to the damage created by Milton.
“The reality of what the storm will be when it hits is very unknown,” Leever adds. “The intensity and path of the storm changes by the hour, so it’s impossible to really know and that’s why it’s best to prepare for the worst if you are anywhere near it.”
For other potential Floridians, Leever suggests checking flood maps when looking for places to live. Residents should evacuate if they are able, as early as possible, according to Leever.
Those like her who need to stay because of their job responsibilities, should know that essentials are hard to find as a storm approaches.
“The moment there is a possibility of a storm, make sure to fill your car with gas as it runs out very quickly,” says Leever of the fuel supply. “Additionally, keeping a supply of water, extra charging packs, flashlights, batteries and non-perishable food is important. I assumed it was just a way to be prepared, so you did not need to go out and get items in the days before the storm, but I quickly realized they suggest it because everything will be sold out within a day.”
During Debby, a tropical storm that made Florida landfall in early August, Leever says her apartment experienced some minor flooding, but not with Milton. The hospital had some signs and fences blown over, but didn’t suffer any major structural damage.
“This was surprising as the hurricane made landfall at Siesta Key, less than three miles away,” she says.
The Sarasota region lost power for several days, which impacted most homes and businesses, including her apartment. Fortunately, the hospital stocks backup supplies, including food and water, and fuel for its generators to ensure their two hospitals, freestanding ER, and nursing home can operate during these emergencies, according to Leever.
SMH offered its working staff round-the-clock child and pet care manned by employee volunteers. The hospital also set up a fuel site with free gas for staff members that remained open for several days after the storm.
“This was essential as all gas stations in Sarasota were empty,” says Leever.
Now, with the hurricane season over, Leever takes full advantage of what the Sunshine State has to offer, heading for the water whenever she gets the chance.
“My usual routine to relax after work and clear my head involves taking my dog to the beach and looking for shells and sea life,” she says.
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