The DMHC licenses and regulates California health plans. We strive to streamline the process health plans must follow to comply with California law. This section has all the information plans need in easy and convenient formats.
The DMHC regulations fully implement SB 853, authored by former Senator Martha Escutia (D-Montebello), which requires California health plans to set up a system where services, materials, and information are provided to members in a language that they speak and understand. The regulations will require each of the 100 full-service and specialty health care plans (e.g. dental, vision) under the DMHC's jurisdiction to develop and implement its own language assistance program. In addition to language assistance, health plans will be required to translate such things as:
The Department's Language Assistance Work Group has developed guidelines in the form of the Language Assistance Filing Checklists to assist health plans in meeting their filing obligations pursuant to Section 1300.67.04(e)(2) for Language Assistance Programs (LAP).
To further the Department's mission of patient protection and assist plans in their implementation efforts, we have developed a Sample Notice of Language Assistance that can be included with non-vital documents and other plan correspondence. This notice is translated into twelve Medi-Cal threshold languages and informs enrollees that they can:
The use of this sample notice, in whole or in part, is completely voluntary.
