New Guidance on Interpretation for Patients With Limited English Proficiency

In Brief: DHHS has revised previous guidelines for accommodating patients with limited English proficiency (LEP).

DHHS recently issued revised guidelines for physicians that reduce the burden of providing interpretation services for limited English proficiency (LEP) patients.  The guidance requires physicians to consider the following four factors when developing a plan for serving LEP patients: 1) the number or proportion of LEP patients likely to be encountered in the practice; 2) the frequency of LEP patients’ visits to the practice; 3) the importance of the physicians’ services to the LEP patients; and 4) the resources available to serve LEP patients. 

After analyzing these four factors, physicians should develop a suitable plan to meet the interpretation needs of their LEP patients.  DHHS acknowledges that every provider covered by the regulations will require a different level of service based on patient population as well as available resources.  Interpretation can be provided either through oral or written means.  The full guidelines discuss in detail how to select oral and written language assistance services.

All recipients of federal financial assistance from DHHS are covered by the LEP regulations.  While physicians who receive payments from Medicare Part B are not covered, physicians who receive federal dollars from Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program are covered and must comply with the guidelines for all LEP patients.

While the new guidance still requires physicians to provide the funding for interpretation services, DHHS acknowledges the importance of minimizing the cost of providing the services and states its commitment to providing assistance and guidance in providing cost-effective interpretation services.

The full guidance as well as additional information on this issue is available online at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/lep/.  For additional information, contact the Academy national office at (312) 464-9700 or via e-mail: info@aapmr.org.