what is not. this document must be in the patient’s native language. billing companies can work with clients to develop these materials so that they look similar to statements that they will receive in the mail. You can also work with your clients to simplify intake forms and other patient-completed information to increase accuracy and their likelihood for clean claims. • clearly identify the date(s) of service on billing statements. do not use code or descriptors for services. instead, work with your clients and use simpler descriptions of the medical services provided. check out the health literacy style manual from the southern institute on children and families for tips. also consider icons and graphics to reinforce statement concepts. • in big bold letters at the bottom of the statement, show outstanding balances, amount due, and payment options. + Language in Billing the limited english Proficiency (leP) requirements are very familiar for medical organizations that accept medicaid patients or receive medicare reimbursement under Part a. these federal translation requirements have been around since 2000, when President clinton signed executive order 13166. the order was focused on abolishing state practices like english-only driver’s tests but had a profound new mandate for translation and interpretations services for medical providers.4 many medical practices do not accept medicaid patients, and medicare Part b is not considered a federal enrichment to trigger the mandate. Yet, the leP infrastructure offers guidance on how to address an incoming population that does not speak english as their first language. the leP requirements stipulate that organizations should assess their customer population to identify which languages 100 80 60 40 20 FEATURE storY are most prevalent in their area, provide free interpreter services, and translate all common forms to the languages in their community.100 the guidelines stress that these services must be performed by trained professionals who are competent in medical terminology and sensitive to cultural aspects of each customer. as you might expect, translation is not as simple as taking a commonly used form, putting it into an online translation generator, and applying those terms on the form. instead, it requires professional translators who are familiar with both medical terminology and the culture of the audience. for example, a vietnamese patient explained that her understanding of the term “health plan” is “how and what i eat so 80 the journal of the healthcare billing and management association 11 RESOURCES Health Literacy Style Manual From the Southern Institute on Children and Families http://bit.ly/13Cyx78 0 English Spanish Insured Newly Insured % Percent Other Unknown 60 HIE Beneficiary Language Expectations * “other language” is most likely to be mandarin according to the Kcmu/urban institute analysis of 2009 american community survey. learn more about the leP requirements at hhs.gov/ocr > civil rights > resources > special topics > leP
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