Limited English Proficiency Interpreter Services for Medical Appointments
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides that doctors and agencies getting federal money should make language services available to people who do not speak or understand English well enough to access services.
Medical Assistance (MA) doctors must give free access to an interpreter to all people that use their office and need an interpreter in order to access medical care. The Office of Medical Assistance Programs expects all MA doctors to comply.
Since you have services through the MA program, you will need to ask your doctor to help you get an interpreter. If you have problems getting an interpreter, you or someone helping you can contact the Office of Medical Assistance Programs to ask for more help.
Call the office of Medical Assistance, Bureau of Fee-for-Service Programs and leave a message (see phone number below). Messages are checked daily. If a message is left after normal working hours, they will call you the next day with an interpreter to help you.
If you use the Medical Assistance Managed Care Organization (MCO), call the Special Needs unit for your MCO for help. Find information on your physical health provider. Find information on Magellan Behavioral Health, call the member line at 1-866-238-2311.
Bureau of Fee-for-Service Programs:
Telephone: 1-866-872-8969
TTY: 1-866-872-8970
Email: MA_Interpreter@state.pa.us
Fax: 717-772-6179, Attention MA-Interpreter
You or someone helping you will need to know the information below when calling:
- Person's name
- Person's ten digit Medical Assistance ID number
- Doctor's name, address and telephone number
- Date and time of appointment
- Language needed
- Reason why the doctor did not provide an interpreter (if known)
If you need help from the Office of Medical Assistance, please call two weeks before your doctor's appointment. Calling will give them enough time to have an interpreter for your appointment. To make scheduling easier, the Office of Medical Assistance Programs uses a contracted telephone interpreter service.