Health care coverage: language access.
Vote required
Majority
Fiscal committee
No
Appropriation
No
Current location
Vetoed
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Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill aims to improve access to healthcare for Californians with limited English proficiency. It requires health care service plans and health insurers to provide meaningful access to services, including translation and interpretation, and to take reasonable steps to inform individuals about available assistance. The bill also updates requirements for providing translated documents and notices to enrollees and prospective enrollees, and expands reporting requirements to include language access policies.
Key provisions
- Requires health care service plans and health insurers to assess linguistic needs and provide translation and interpretation services.
- Mandates offering a qualified interpreter or translator when needed.
- Prohibits requiring individuals with limited English proficiency to pay for interpreters.
- Requires compliance with remote interpreting service standards.
- Updates requirements for translating vital documents, including applications and consent forms.
- Adds notices related to termination of coverage, grievance forms, and cost communications to the list of documents requiring translation.
- Requires health plans to report on language access policies and procedures.
- Establishes standards for qualified interpreters and translators.
Who is affected
- Individuals with limited English proficiency
- Health care service plans
- Health insurers
Bill text
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Sponsors
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1 on record
Primary sponsor
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