Sec. 205. Pilot program for improvement and development of State medical interpreting services
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/bill/116/hr/6637/ih/section-205·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall award 1 grant in accordance with this section to each of 3 States (to be selected by the Secretary) to assist each such State in designing, implementing, and evaluating a statewide program to provide onsite interpreter services under the State Medicaid plan. A grant awarded under this section is authorized for the period of 3 fiscal years beginning on October 1, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2024. In awarding a grant under this section, the Secretary shall give preference to a State— that has a high proportion of qualified LEP enrollees, as determined by the Secretary; that has a large number of qualified LEP enrollees, as determined by the Secretary; that has a high growth rate of the population of individuals with limited English proficiency, as determined by the Secretary; and that has a population of qualified LEP enrollees that is linguistically diverse, requiring interpreter services in at least 200 non-English languages.
A State receiving a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to— ensure that all health care providers in the State participating in the State Medicaid plan have access to onsite interpreter services, for the purpose of enabling effective communication between such providers and qualified LEP enrollees during the furnishing of items and services and administrative interactions; establish, expand, procure, or contract for— a statewide health care information technology system that is designed to achieve efficiencies and economies of scale with respect to onsite interpreter services provided to health care providers in the State participating in the State Medicaid plan; and an entity to administer such system, the duties of which shall include— procuring and scheduling interpreter services for qualified LEP enrollees; procuring and scheduling interpreter services for individuals with limited English proficiency seeking to enroll in the State Medicaid plan; ensuring that interpreters receive payment for interpreter services rendered under the system; and consulting regularly with organizations representing consumers, interpreters, and health care providers; and develop mechanisms to establish, improve, and strengthen the competency of the medical interpretation workforce that serves qualified LEP enrollees in the State, including a national certification process that is valid, credible, and vendor-neutral.
To receive a grant under this section, a State shall submit an application at such time and containing such information as the Secretary may require, which shall include the following: A description of the language access needs of individuals in the State enrolled in the State Medicaid plan. A description of the extent to which the program will— use the grant funds for the purposes described in subsection (d); meet the health care needs of rural populations of the State; and collect information that accurately tracks the language services requested by consumers as compared to the language services provided by health care providers in the State participating in the State Medicaid plan.
A description of how the program will be evaluated, including a proposal for collaboration with organizations representing interpreters, consumers, and individuals with limited English proficiency. In this section: The term qualified LEP enrollee means an individual— who is limited English proficient; and who is enrolled in a State Medicaid plan. The term State has the meaning given the term in section 1101(a)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(1) ), for purposes of title XIX of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.).
The term State Medicaid plan means a State plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) or a waiver of such a plan. The term United States has the meaning given the term in section 1101(a)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1301(a)(2) ), for purposes of title XIX of such Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.). Any State receiving a grant under this section must agree to directly pay for language services in Medicaid for all Medicaid providers by the end of the grant period.
There is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 to carry out this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization in paragraph
(1)are authorized to remain available without fiscal year limitation. Section 1903(a)(2)(E) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396b(a)(2)(E) ) is amended by inserting (or, in the case of a State that was awarded a grant under section 203 of the after Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2020 , 100 percent for each quarter occurring during the grant period specified in subsection
(b)of such section) 75 percent . No Federal funds awarded under this section may be used to provide interpreter services from a location outside the United States.
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Sec. 205
Pilot program for improvement and development of State medical interpreting services
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