This time last year, I wrote about Representative Rebecca Chavez-Houck’s (D – Salt Lake – District 24) HB 144, a bill that allowed medical language interpreters into hospitals so that those who speak little to no English can understand the medical procedures they (or those they love) will have.
Thankfully, this bill passed, and Representative Chavez-Houck is looking to improve the law further with HB 232 – Medical Language Interpreter Amendments.
The bill itself will allow the Division of Health and Human Services to recommend to the legislature the need for laws relating to the act if HHS discovers that people are abusing the system or unqualified individuals are getting through the system and dispensing inadequate or incomplete medical advice. Furthermore, the bill would set up a certification system and demand that certifications would expire.
In short, this bill takes a good law and makes it better.
As I have said, health is one of those things we simply can not skimp on because we dislike people who don’t look like us – disease could care less if you know a particular language or come from a particular country. With the expansion of this law we will ensure that our community will be healthier and that people are making informed decisions about their health.
