Do non-English-speaking Medicare beneficiaries with limited English proficien speak common languages?
Additionally, the most common languages spoken among non-English Medicare beneficiaries with limited English proficien were investigatedAn assessment of cy .
Why should CMS OMH care about language assistance strategies?
Increased understanding of the language assistance strategies being used in different settings and by different provider types will help CMS OMH identify areas where best practices are occurring and areas that may need improvement. Methods
Which languages are most commonly spoken by healthcare providers in America?
Provider Estimates of Percent of Patients with Limited English Proficiency Respondents were also asked to select which languages were spoken by patients in their practice. Spanish was the most commonly reported language (82%), followed by Chinese (which includes both Cantonese and Mandarin) (24%), Arabic (22%), and Vietnamese (21%).
Do patients prefer to receive services in a different language at home?
Consequently, in general, individuals who speak a language other than English at home the in which may prefer to receive services in a different language, and consulting patients and consumers can help ensure that patient level communication and /consumer language needs are appropriately met. 20 Appendix A Ensuring Quality and Health Equity
Does Medicare have translators?
These services can include qualified in-person interpreters, qualified bilingual staff, sign language interpreters, or remote interpreting systems such as telephone or video interpreting. Definitions adapted from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services1, The Joint Commission2, and the HHS Office of Minority Health3.
How do I apply for Medicare in Spanish?
Spanish-speaking customer representatives are available at Medicare's telephone help line at 1-800-633-4227. You can also arrange, on request, to be put in contact with a representative who speaks your own language — more than 70 languages are available.
What is language access healthcare?
Language access allows for people with limited English proficiency to use and benefit from a wide range of services. Any organization that receives federal funding is required to provide language access to its services. History of Language Access in Health Care.
Who is Medicare through?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs Medicare. The program is funded in part by Social Security and Medicare taxes you pay on your income, in part through premiums that people with Medicare pay, and in part by the federal budget.
Who qualifies for home health care services?
The patient must be homebound as required by the payer. The patient must require skilled qualifying services. The care needed must be intermittent (part time.) The care must be a medical necessity (must be under the care of a physician.)
What is MC 219 form?
MC 219 (11/15) ENG2. • To verify immigration status with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), if required. Information shared with DHS cannot be used for immigration enforcement unless you are committing fraud.
Why is language assistance important in healthcare?
Language can be a clear, profound barrier to health literacy. Language barriers and the inability to read or understand health information can pose serious health risks to individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).
Why is language access important?
A language access plan can help ensure that an organization provides high quality and appropriate language services. A language access plan can also help ensure that an organization's staff members are aware of what to do when an individual with limited English proficiency needs assistance.
Do patients have a right to an interpreter?
Your Rights to Get Language Services All health plans must provide a qualified interpreter when you ask, either in-person or through a telephone- or video-conferencing system. Most health plans, and all large plans, must provide written materials in the main languages spoken by their members.
Is there Medicare in Canada?
About Medicare. Medicare is a term that refers to Canada's publicly funded health care system. Instead of having a single national plan, we have 13 provincial and territorial health care insurance plans.
Who paid for Medicare?
Medicare is funded by the Social Security Administration. Which means it's funded by taxpayers: We all pay 1.45% of our earnings into FICA - Federal Insurance Contributions Act - which go toward Medicare.
Why do doctors not like Medicare Advantage plans?
If they don't say under budget, they end up losing money. Meaning, you may not receive the full extent of care. Thus, many doctors will likely tell you they do not like Medicare Advantage plans because private insurance companies make it difficult for them to get paid for their services.
How long was the Medscape survey?
This document describes the results of an online Medscape survey fielded for approximately 30 days in August and September 2013 that included questions about languages spoken by patients and the use of language services to meet patients’ needs. The survey was completed by over 4,700 providers (n=4,708) across the United States in a variety of areas of practice and practice settings. Those responding to the survey were not selected as part of a population-based sampling strategy. Instead, the survey was launched using a popup script and link on the Medscape website. The target audience was therefore individuals who were already visiting the website during the 30-day period during which the survey was open, primarily physicians and nurses. Individuals chose to respond to the survey and should be considered a convenience sample.
How many responses were there to the question "What is your primary specialty or area of practice?"?
The first of these was for the question “What is your primary specialty or area of practice?” for which there were approximately 70 response options. We created 12 new variables by grouping responses into categories such as specialty care, primary care, surgery, behavioral/mental health, emergency care, and others. Given the limitations of the sample size, we also condensed the responses to the question “In what state do you practice?”, placing each state into its corresponding Census Division
Does an organization provide staff training on its language service plan?
Organization does not provide staff training on its language service plan ...............
Can you rely on unqualified interpreters?
For instance, evidence shows that relying on unqualified interpreters, such as family members, can increase the chance of misunderstanding, unnecessary complications, and in some cases, disability or even death.
How does technology help interpreters?
Technology can facilitate access to professional interpreter services, but how the technology is utilized determines whether the care of patients with limited English proficiency is improved. Best practices for providers when working with a professional medical interpreter include talking in short units and pausing frequently to promote accuracy ...
How does poor communication affect LEP patients?
( 9) Poor communication contributes to errors and health disparities for this vulnerable population. Professional interpreters improve communication, promote appropriate use of resources, and significantly increase patient and clinician satisfaction. ( 10) The use of professional interpreters has been shown to result in fewer errors in communication ( 11 ), reduce disparities in utilization of services ( 12 ), and improve clinical outcomes. ( 10) Language interpretation requires a specific set of skills, including bilingual fluency and the ability to switch fluidly between two languages while interpreting the meaning and tone of what has been said from one language to another. ( 13) The challenges inherent to this task contribute to the potential for errors in interpretation. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the error rate for professional interpreters is considerably lower than that of ad hoc interpreters (untrained family, friends, or staff), and when errors are made, they are less likely to be clinically significant. ( 11,14-16) Clinicians can also help reduce the chance of errors by learning and practicing the skills needed for successful patient encounters when using professional medical interpreters ( Table ).
What is remote interpretation?
Remote interpretation (telephonic or videoconferencing) increases access and efficiency by allowing for economy of scale, whether utilizing a health system's own staff in a call-center type environment or with staff from a contracted service provider. Both approaches reduce travel time between locations, downtime for professional interpreters waiting for physicians to see a patient, and wait time for patients. ( 18) Remote interpretation also allows for on-demand access without scheduling, a particularly important component of a language access service program for emergency and hospital settings.
What is the challenge of communicating across language barriers?
Communicating across language barriers is a challenge for clinicians and health systems. In the United States, approximately 20% of the adult population speaks a language other than English at home; of this group, almost half report speaking English less than very well and are considered to have limited English proficiency (LEP). ( 1) For those with LEP, Spanish and Chinese are the most common preferred languages, but hundreds of additional languages are in use throughout the US. In health care, bridging the language barrier is necessary to avoid clinical errors, provide patient-centered care, and comply with legal and regulatory mandates.
Do you need an interpreter for a Spanish patient?
The electronic health record indicated that the patient required a Spanish interpreter to communicate with health care providers. A non–Spanish-speaking physician met the patient and discovered that no in-person interpreter had been booked in advance of the visit.
Who funded the 75Q80119C00004?
This project was funded under contract number 75Q80119C00004 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ( AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The authors are solely responsible for this report’s contents, findings, and conclusions, which do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Readers should not interpret any statement in this report as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. None of the authors has any affiliation or financial involvement that conflicts with the material presented in this report. View AHRQ Disclaimers
Is VMI equal to in person interpretation?
Both clinicians and patients report the quality of VMI/VRI as equal to in-person interpretation, although in-person may still be superior for understanding cultural nuances. ( 25-27) Interpretation error rates for VMI/VRI are significantly lower than for ad hoc interpretation and appear equal to rates for in-person interpretation.
Employees
Contact your employer’s personnel, payroll, or benefits office directly.
Employees
Contact your employer’s personnel, payroll, or benefits office directly.
Employees
Contact your employer’s personnel, payroll, or benefits office directly.
Why don't people with limited English proficiency buy health insurance?
Sadly, some individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) don't buy health plans because they can't speak English or read the insurance documentation.
What percentage of foreigners spoke their primary language in 2012?
Foreign-born individuals who spoke their primary language at home remained steady at 85 percent in 2012.
What is a language access checklist?
Families USA and the National Health Law Program have developed a Language Access Checklist for Marketplace Implementation. This document helps insurers design marketplaces that comply with federal laws.
How many languages are used in LEP?
Translate all outreach materials into the 15 most common languages used by local LEP persons.
How many translations are required for a LEP?
The document should tell LEP person how to get foreign language versions. Providers must offer at least 15 translations in the application's instructions.
Do insurance companies have to provide LEP materials?
Insurers must provide materials that LEP persons request materials in their preferred languages. They must list direction on paper and online applications. Companies should provide this information to LEP applicants, household members, authorized representatives. Companies must send communications in every language indicated.
Is LEP higher than uninsured?
The uninsured rates for LEP persons are higher according to a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study. The organization's State Health Access Data Assistance Center followed how many people with limited English proficiency had coverage. They discovered:
