Must Medicaid, CHIP and Medicare Part A providers, and organizations offering Medicare Part C and Part D plans, provide interpreters for limited English proficient (LEP) beneficiaries and translate their documents into languages other than English?

Under Title VI and its implementing regulations, recipients of federal financial assistance must take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs, services, and activities by eligible limited English proficient (LEP) persons. To comply with these federal requirements, Medicaid and CHIP providers, Medicare Part A providers, and organizations offering Medicare Part C and Part D Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans may need to provide language assistance services, such as interpreters and translated documents. Also, for markets with a significant non-English speaking population, Medicare regulations for the Medicare Advantage Program and Voluntary Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit program require recipients to provide materials in the language of these individuals. See 42.C.F.R. 422.2264(e) and 423.2264(e).