New Bill Could Ensure Non-English Speaking Medi-Cal Patients Receive Proper Language Assistance

  • August 26, 2014
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  • Blog

One in five California residents has limited English, and nearly half of all beneficiaries of Medi-Cal (the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents) speak a language other than English. A new bill awaiting a vote in the Senate could ensure non-English speaking Medi-Cal patients receive proper language assistance when receiving medical care.

Proposed by Assemblyman John Pérez, AB2325 would establish a new agency called CommuniCal that would certify and oversee trained interpreters for low-income non-English speaking California residents. It would also reimburse Medi-Cal providers for the cost of interpreter services.

Under current California state law, medical providers are required to provide interpreters to their non-English speaking patients, free of charge, either in-person or over the phone or video. But studies show that language assistance is often being provided by untrained staff or family members, rather than medically qualified interpreters. Many medical residents are forgoing professional interpretation services because of their own time constraints. Instead, they are choosing to “get by” with their own language skills, or interpretation by a family member or untrained staff member, increasing the risk of medical errors.

If CommuniCal were to become law, California would join a dozen states and the District of Columbia that currently reimburse doctors, hospitals and other health providers for providing language services to Medicaid patients.

Interested in learning more about Bill AB2325? Please click here to read the entire article online.