HF 1831

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to health; establishing a work group to study the provision of interpreter
services to health care patients.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin INTERPRETER SERVICES WORK GROUP.
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new text begin (a) The commissioner of health shall, in consultation with the commissioners of
commerce, human services, and employee relations, convene a work group to study the
provision of interpreter services to patients in medical and dental care settings. The work
group shall include at least one representative from each of the following groups:
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new text begin (1) consumers;
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new text begin (2) patient advocates;
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new text begin (3) interpreters;
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new text begin (4) interpreter service providers or agencies;
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new text begin (5) health plan companies;
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new text begin (6) fully insured purchasers;
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new text begin (7) self-insured purchasers;
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new text begin (8) hospitals;
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new text begin (9) health care providers;
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new text begin (10) dental providers;
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new text begin (11) clinic administrators;
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new text begin (12) state agency staff from the departments of health, human services, and
employee relations;
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new text begin (13) local county social services agencies; and
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new text begin (14) other health care professionals involved in the care and treatment of patients
and other groups deemed necessary by the commissioner of health.
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new text begin (b) The work group shall develop findings and recommendations on the following:
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new text begin (1) assuring access to interpreter services;
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new text begin (2) compliance with requirements of federal law and guidance;
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new text begin (3) developing a quality assurance program to ensure the quality of health care
interpreting services, including requirements for training and establishing a certification
process; and
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new text begin (4) identifying broad-based funding mechanisms for interpreter services.
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new text begin (c) The work group shall evaluate models adopted by other states and seek input
from the Interpreting Stakeholders Group (ISG) that meets under the auspices of the
Upper Midwest Translators and Interpreters Association (UMTIA). The commissioner
shall submit the findings and the recommendations of the work group to the chairs of the
health policy and finance committees in the house and senate by February 15, 2008.
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