Texas Language Access Compliance Map for Healthcare Organizations A tiered overview of Texas's own healthcare language-access requirements for limited English proficient patients, which add to the federal baseline of Title VI and Section 1557: Medicaid and CHIP managed care language services, HHSC state benefits eligibility translation, the Texas Medical Disclosure Panel bilingual consent forms, BEI interpreter certification for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, and state public-health forms in Spanish. TEXAS · STATE EDITION Texas Language Access Compliance Map Texas has no general bilingual-services act; its requirements concentrate in public coverage and specific clinical settings. These state rules sit on top of the federal baseline (Title VI and Section 1557); they do not replace it. 1 PUBLIC COVERAGE   ·  Medicaid and CHIP managed care PRIMARY REQUIREMENT Medicaid & CHIP managed care HHSC's contracted Medicaid and CHIP health plans must provide language services: •  Interpreter services at no cost, with the state covering the expense •  Oral and sign-language interpretation for every member who needs it •  Critical member materials translated into threshold languages (Spanish statewide) •  Member handbooks and notices written at an accessible reading level 2 STATE BENEFITS   ·  Eligibility and enrollment (HHSC) State benefits eligibility TEXAS WORKS · MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY HHSC must give LEP applicants and recipients interpreter services and translated written materials at application and renewal, and tell them these services are free. 3 INFORMED CONSENT   ·  State disclosure and consent forms Texas Medical Disclosure Panel 25 TAC CH. 601-604 · INFORMED CONSENT State-adopted disclosure and consent forms must be available in English and Spanish, so Spanish-speaking patients can weigh a procedure's risks before they consent. 4 DEAF & HARD OF HEARING   ·  Interpreter certification and coverage Interpreters for deaf patients BEI MEDICAL INTERPRETER CERTIFICATION Texas certifies interpreters for medical settings through the BEI, and Medicaid reimburses sign-language interpretation for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. 5 PUBLIC-HEALTH MATERIALS   ·  State patient forms in other languages State public-health forms in Spanish DSHS PATIENT MATERIALS The state health department issues patient disclosure and consent forms in English and Spanish for specific programs, such as TB and HIV treatment. Educational summary, not legal advice. Obligations vary by program, plan, and setting. thetranslationcompany.com