3062-S2 AMH COND REIN 149

2SHB 3062 - H AMD 1124

By Representative Condotta

NOT CONSIDERED 3/11/2010

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  (1) No later than thirty days after the effective date of this act, the department of social and health services shall establish a working group on language access services.

    (2) The working group shall include representatives of: (a) The department of social and health services; (b) language service brokers; (c) foreign language agencies; (d) interpreters; (e) persons with limited English proficiency; (f) a statewide association of hospitals; (g) a statewide association of physicians; and (h) other health care providers.

    (3) The working group shall develop a plan to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of language access services.  The plan shall describe the best possible means by which the following criteria are achieved:  (a) Administrative and overhead costs are reduced by at least fifty percent; (b) timeliness and flexibility for medical providers is improved; (c) the pool of interpreters is stabilized; and (d) fraud and abuse are prevented.

    (4) The department of social and health services shall report the findings of the working group to the legislature and the governor no later than December 1, 2010."

    Correct the title.

EFFECT:   Strikes parts of the underlying bill that provide for collective bargaining between the Governor and language access providers.

           Requires the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to determine the composition of the working group.  Specifies that the group must include, but not be limited to, representatives of the DSHS, brokers, agencies, interpreters, persons with limited English proficiency, a hospital association, a physician association, and other health care providers. 

           Omits a reference to brokers and agencies in the criteria involving the reduction of administrative and overhead costs. 

           Extends the date by which the report is due from September 30, 2010, to December 1, 2010.

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