MINNEAPOLIS, March 6, 2008 - The House Licensing Subcommittee passed a bill Monday that would create a statewide registry for medical interpreters.

HF 3592 calls for the state to establish a registry of interpreters. Interpreters would need to meet certain educational, training, and proficiency standards in order to be listed on the registry. The state would also develop an interpreter certification program that would be implemented by 2012.

The committee voted in favor of the registry and certification parts of the bill but stripped out a measure that would have allowed providers to deduct the cost of paying for interpreter services from their provider tax payments.

The MMA supported the interpreter certification and registry parts of the bill but opposed funding interpreter services with funds from the provider tax on the grounds that money from the provider tax should be spent on expanding health care access.

Dave Renner, MMA director of state and federal legislation, said that using sick tax funds to pay for interpreter services for the uninsured might make sense, but the MMA does not believe it would be appropriate to use sick tax revenues to pay for interpreter services for patients who have private insurance.

One of the MMA’s top priorities this session is passing an interpreter services bill that would require private insurers to cover the cost of providing interpreter services for patients who do not speak English.

Last session, the bill did not pass, despite support from health insurers, because Gov. Tim Pawlenty, supported by the business community, threatened to veto any bill with the interpreter services requirement.