Federal Financial Participation
Interpreter Services in Public Hospitals and Health Districts
Health and Recovery Services Administration (HRSA) is committed to providing access to its services by all Limited English Proficient (LEP) Medicaid clients. For this reason, we have the Federal Financial Participation (FFP) Interpreting Program for public hospitals and health districts.
FFP, also known as Federal Match, is available to help cover the cost of interpreting for LEP Medicaid patients while receiving covered Medicaid services at public facilities such as public hospitals or public health districts. By entering into a contract (interlocal agreement) with Medical Assistance Administration, Government and Public facilities can recover up to fifty percent of their costs for providing interpreters to LEP Medicaid patients.
You must be designated as a Government Public facility such as a public hospital, local health jurisdiction, or public health district. Find out if you are designated as a public hospital, local health jurisdiction, or county health department by visiting the following websites:
http://www.doh.wa.gov/LHJMap/LHJMap.htm
http://www.awphd.org/
How to participate in the FFP program:
Enter into a interlocal agreement with HRSA and agree to:
Provide local matching funds, known as Local Match (locally generated private funds);
Ensure Local Match used to meet the requirements of this program arenā€™t also used as matching funds for another federal program;
Ensure Local Match funds meet federal funding requirements;
Ensure Local Match funds are within your control;
Use only certified interpreters as required;
Coordinate & deliver the interpreting services as required by the agreement;
Collect, submit and retain client data as required by the agreement;
Be willing to accept all disallowances that may occur.
Agreement Requirements:
(1) Providing Interpreting services, spoken or signed, face to face or telephonic when necessary, to LEP Medicaid Clients while receiving Medicaid Covered Services at public hospitals, local health jurisdiction, or public health districts or; while providing, interpreting for Medicaid Outreach Services to LEP Potential Medicaid Clients, or Linkage Services to Medicaid clients at local health jurisdictions or public health districts by agreeing to:
Determine when Interpreting is needed; .
Initiate and arrange Interpreter Service Encounters when the need for Interpreting has been determined;
Verify, prior to billing, that the health care service being provided is within the scope of care of the LEP Medicaid clients Medicaid assistance;
Verify, prior to billing, the Medicaid eligibility of LEP Medicaid Clients for whom Interpreting is being provided by obtaining the Medicaid Clients valid Medicaid ID (MAID) number or by matching client records with DSHS Medicaid enrollment data.
Verify that other allowable Interpreting activities performed meet the description of one of the allowable activities as per your agreement.
Use only Eligible Interpreting Staff or Independent Interpreters or Interpreters from Independent Interpreting Agencies who are:
1. DSHS certified, qualified, or authorized interpreters; or
2. Contractor certified interpreters; or
3. Certified Sign Language interpreters.
Ensure that HRSA Access brokers are not utilized to arrange or schedule interpreters:
Ensure all interpreters providing services under the Program Agreement comply with DSHS's Language Interpreter and Translator Code of Professional Conduct", as per agreement.
For more information please contact our office.
Page modified: January 2010
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