MINNEAPOLIS, 11:45 a.m. CST February 23, 2007 -- The MMA has worked with lawmakers to introduce bills in the House and Senate that would require health plans to pay for interpreter services.

The bills H.F. 1077/S.F. 827 would also require the state to establish a registry of interpreters who meet the National Standards of Practice for Interpreters in Health Care.

Health plans would have three years to make the change and would pay one-third of costs each year for three consecutive years to reach full reimbursement.

The MMA’s lobbying team is working with lawmakers to get the bills heard in committee.

Minnesota has seen an increasing number of non-English speakers in recent years. About 437,000 (9.4 percent) of Minnesota residents speak a language other than English at home, and about 185,000 (4 percent) have limited English proficiency, according to 2005 U.S. Census figures.

At the same time, federal law requires that clinics and hospitals be able to communicate with non-English speaking patients. The state of Minnesota reimburses for interpreter services, but private health plans generally do not.

Providers report that telephone-based interpreter services can cost from $1.25 to $2 a minute and in-person services can cost from $35 to $75 an hour. These costs often exceed the payment for the entire visit.

This has resulted in an underfunded system that endangers patients. Research has shown that language barriers can lead to impaired health status, medical errors, reduced access to medical care and lower rates of preventive screenings. A lack of qualified interpreters can also increase costs by causing longer visits, reliance on expensive diagnostic tests, and malpractice cases.

Securing reimbursement for interpreter services is one of the MMA’s top priorities this year.