CMS Clarifies Availability of Federal CHIP and Medicaid Funds for Translation and Interpretation Services - May 3, 2011

The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on April 2 issued an informational bulletin announcing several Medicaid developments. Included in the bulletin is clarification on Section 201(b) of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA), which provides for increased federal funding for translation and interpretation services. The clarification specifies that the increased federal funding is limited to children and family members of those children and does not extend to other CHIP-eligible individuals, such as pregnant women. Although the bulletin clarifies that the increased federal funding may not be used for other CHIP or Medicaid enrollees, the clarification indicates that translation and interpretation services for other Medicaid enrollees may be reimbursed at the standard 50 percent Medicaid administrative matching rate or as part of the rate paid for a medical service.