SB 1423: Medi-Cal: oral interpretation services.

Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services. The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program provisions. Under existing law, one of the methods by which Medi-Cal services, including medical, dental, and mental health services, are provided is pursuant to contracts with various types of managed care plans. Existing law requires the department to require all managed care plans and mental health plans contracting with the department to provide language assistance services, including translation services and oral interpretation services by an interpreter who meets specified minimum qualification criteria, to limited-English-proficient (LEP) Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

This bill would modify the minimum qualifications that an interpreter is required to possess to provide oral interpretation services to an LEP beneficiary enrolled in either a managed care plan or a mental health plan.