119-hr2092

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2092 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2092

 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
task force to improve access to health care information technology for 
 non-English speakers.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 14, 2025

 Ms. De La Cruz (for herself, Mr. Evans of Colorado, Mr. Veasey, Mr. 
Fitzpatrick, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Norton, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Lee of Nevada, 
Ms. Barragan, Mr. Valadao, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a 
task force to improve access to health care information technology for 
 non-English speakers.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Supporting Patient Education And 
Knowledge Act of 2025'' or the ``SPEAK Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. GUIDANCE ON FURNISHING SERVICES VIA TELEHEALTH TO INDIVIDUALS 
 WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
in consultation with 1 or more entities from each of the categories 
described in paragraphs

    (1) through

    (7) of subsection

    (b) , shall issue 
and disseminate, or update and revise as applicable, guidance for the 
entities described in such subsection on the following:

    (1) Best practices on facilitating and integrating use of 
 interpreters during a telemedicine appointment.

    (2) Best practices on providing accessible instructions on 
 how to access telecommunications systems (as such term is used 
 for purposes of 

section 1834
            (m) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1395m
            (m) ) for individuals with limited English 
 proficiency.

    (3) Best practices on improving access to digital patient 
 portals for individuals with limited English proficiency.

    (4) Best practices on integrating the use of video 
 platforms that enable multi-person video calls furnished via a 
 telecommunications system for purposes of providing 
 interpretation during a telemedicine appointment for an 
 individual with limited English proficiency.

    (5) Best practices for providing patient materials, 
 communications, and instructions in multiple languages, 
 including text message appointment reminders and prescription 
 information.

    (b) Entities Described.--For purposes of subsection

    (a) , an entity 
described in this subsection is an entity in 1 or more of the following 
categories:

    (1) Health information technology service providers, 
 including--
        (A) electronic medical record companies;
        (B) remote patient monitoring companies; and
            (C) telehealth or mobile health vendors and 
 companies.

    (2) Health care providers, including--
        (A) physicians; and
        (B) hospitals.

    (3) Health insurers.

    (4) Language service companies.

    (5) Interpreter or translator professional associations.

    (6) Health and language services quality certification 
 organizations.

    (7) Patient and consumer advocates, including such 
 advocates that work with individuals with limited English 
 proficiency.
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