Health care law encompasses the laws and regulations governing hospital and health care administration, and an understanding of health care insurance is integral to it. There are significant differences in the types and amount of coverage provided by various private insurance policies, such as HMOs, PPOs, disability insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance, just as there are important differences in the cost to the purchasers of health insurance. There are also public health care insurance programs. Elderly and disabled persons may be eligible for coverage through the federal Medicare program. The joint state-federal Medicaid program helps certain individuals, including disabled persons and low-income elderly persons, pay for long-term care and in-home health care.
Leeds is a neighborhood in the western portion of the city of Northampton, Massachusetts, United States, bordering Williamsburg--along the Mill River--and Florence. In the 1800s, Leeds was known for its textile manufacturing, including broadcloth, silk, and vegetable ivory buttons, as well as extensive manufacturing of farm implements and household goods. In 1874, a dam on the Mill River broke, flooding Leeds and Williamsburg and killing 139 people. Today, Leeds is home to Chartpak, manufacturer of art and graphics supplies.