As Minnesota’s non-English speaking population grows, physicians are caught in the bind of having to provide interpreter services without being reimbursed for them.
The federal government requires physicians to offer interpreter services but payers consider the expensive services a cost of doing business and don’t reimburse for them. Some physicians report paying $50 to $75 for an interpreter, which is more than their reimbursement for the entire visit.
The MMA supports legislation that would require all health plans to reimburse providers or pay interpreters directly for language services.
During the 2007 legislative session, the MMA reached an historic agreement with health plans to reimburse for interpreter services provided for their enrollees. The agreement did not pass this year because of opposition from the Governor and the business community. The MMA will work attempt to engage legislators in local communities to pressure the Governor to recognize the agreement and set the stage for passing a bill in 2008.