UCLA Center for Health Policy Research Report Finds That Language Barrier Puts More Than 1 Million Californians in HMOs at Risk for Healthcare Problems

Business Wire, May 11, 2006

LOS ANGELES -- A new policy brief from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research shows that more than 1 million adult HMO members in California with limited English proficiency are at risk for problems accessing health care services and receiving quality treatment. The study, commissioned by the California Office of the Patient Advocate, illustrates the substantial need for language services in commercial plans, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. The findings also highlight the importance of recent statutory changes that will require the California Department of Managed Health Care to oversee and regulate language services in licensed HMOs.

"The language barrier impacts every level in the healthcare process, from communicating with your doctor to reading a prescription bottle to understanding important forms," said Gerald F. Kominski, PhD, associate director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and lead author of the study.

In their review of data from the 2003 California Health Interview Survey - the most comprehensive survey of the state's residents on health issues - the brief's authors found that 3.4 million adult HMO enrollees in California speak a language other than English at home, and of these, almost 30 percent report not being able to speak English well or not at all. Previous studies that have shown that the absence of language services restricts access and decreases the quality of health care for non-English speaking individuals. In fact, more than 300,000 commercial HMO members in California with limited English proficiency had trouble understanding their own doctors, and 5 percent of these were not able to find anyone to translate for them.

The policy brief can be found at www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu.

Although the public Medi-Cal and Healthy Families plans have a higher percentage of members with limited English proficiency than commercial plans (21.4 percent compared to 9.2 percent), commercial plans have far more of these members (800,000 compared to 151,000). In addition, Medi-Cal and Healthy Families plans have done a better job of providing these services to their limited English proficient populations, while commercial HMOs have not.

"Interpreter and translation services are critical elements in the relationship between an HMO and its non-English speaking members," said Ed Mendoza, acting director of the California Office of the Patient Advocate, an independent state agency that advocates for HMO consumers. "Without good communication, it is difficult to deliver high quality care."

The California Health Interview Survey - the state's largest health survey and one of the largest in the United States - is a unique source of information about how the HMOs are serving their clients. Since it was first conducted in 2001, the California Health Interview Survey has been an essential tool for policy makers, researchers and health advocates at every level needing a detailed snapshot of the complex health needs of California's diverse population.

The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research was established in 1994 and is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers. It is also the premier source of key health policy information for California. The Center is based in the UCLA School of Public Health and is affiliated with the UCLA School of Public Affairs.