Additional Cultural and Linguistic Competency Legislation
- Senate Bill 853 (Martha Escutia,
D – Whittier) – Would direct the Department of Managed Health
Care, which regulates the State’s health plans (HMOs), to issue
regulations requiring the health plans to assess the cultural
and linguistic needs of their members, to develop standards for
access to qualified health interpreters, to specify the documents
that must be translated, and to regulate health plans’ conduct
with regard to ensuring that services are provided in a culturally
competent manner.
- Assembly Bill 801 (Manny Diaz,
D – San Jose) – Would create a voluntary program to develop education
classes for physicians, which would teach foreign languages and
cultural practice and beliefs that impact health care. Funding
would be derived from fees collected from the participants and
local medical societies.
For more information, contact the APIAHF Policy Division
staff:
Gem Daus, Legislative and Government Affairs Coordinator, GDaus@apiahf.org
