Hot Button - Washington Times

Hot Button - Washington Times: "English-language advocates say proposed health care reform plans would add billions to Medicare costs by providing on-site interpreters for low-income people with limited English skills who seek medical treatment.

They are objecting to language included in the House bill that would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a study to figure out how to properly employ interpreters and pay them through the Medicare system.

The language to do this is found in Section 1221 of America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, which instructs the secretary of health and human services to determine the "feasibility of adopting a payment methodology for on-site interpreters, including interpreters who work as independent contractors and interpreters who work for agencies that provide on-site interpretation, pursuant to which such interpreters could directly bill Medicare for services provided in support of physician office services for an LEP Medicare patient." "