(i) Processes to promote effective identification of LEP enrollee language assistance needs at points of contact, to ensure that LEP enrollees are informed at points of contact that interpretation services are available at no cost to the LEP enrollee, and to facilitate individual enrollee access to interpretation services at points of contact.

(ii) Processes for including the notice required by Section 1367.04(b)(1)(B)(v) with all vital documents, all enrollment materials and all correspondence, if any, from the plan confirming a new or renewed enrollment. If documents are distributed in an LEP enrollee's preferred written language the notice need not be included.

(iii) Processes for including statements, in English and in threshold languages, about the availability of free language assistance services and how to access them, in or with brochures, newsletters, outreach and marketing materials and other materials that are routinely disseminated to the plan's enrollees.

(i) All plans shall ensure that grievance forms and procedures in threshold languages are made readily available to enrollees and to contracting providers for distribution to enrollees upon request.

(ii) All plans shall inform contracting providers that informational notices explaining how enrollees may contact their plan, file a complaint with their plan, obtain assistance from the Department and seek an independent medical review are available in non-English languages through the Department's web site. The notice and translations can be obtained online at www.hmohelp.ca.gov for downloading and printing. In addition, hard copies may be requested by submitting a written request to: Department of Managed Health Care, Attention: HMO Help Notices, 980 9th Street, Suite 500, Sacramento, CA 95814.

(i) A list of the threshold languages identified by the plan;

(ii) A list of the types of standardized and enrollee-specific vital documents that must be translated and the applicable standards for making translated vital documents available to subscribers and enrollees. Plans need not translate subscriber contracts, evidences of coverage and other large disclosure forms and enrollee handbooks in their entirety, but may excerpt from large documents the disclosures specified at subsection (b)(7)(G) for translation in a format that permits cost-effective and timely production and distribution, so long as there is no loss of accuracy or meaning by doing so. A plan may demonstrate compliance regarding translation of the disclosures specified at subsection (b)(7)(G) if the plan provides a standardized matrix that lists the major categories of health care services covered under the plan's subscriber contracts, together with the corresponding copayments and coinsurance, and exclusions and limitations, and disclosing any applicable deductibles and lifetime maximums, using the same sequence as the uniform matrix described at Section 1363(b)(1) of the Act.

(iii) A description of how the plan will provide or arrange for the provision of translation of vital documents at no charge to enrollees in accordance with the requirements of Section 1367.04 of the Act and this section. This subsection is not intended to prohibit or discourage a plan from providing translation of vital documents into a greater number of languages than the threshold languages;

(iv) A requirement that non-English translations of vital documents must meet the same standards required for English language versions of those documents; and

(v) A requirement that, with respect to vital documents that are not standardized, but which contain enrollee-specific information, a plan shall provide the English version together with the Department-approved written notice of the availability of interpretation and translation services and, if a translation is requested, the plan shall provide the requested translation in accordance with the requirements of Section 1367.04 of the Act and this section.

(i) A list of the non-English languages likely to be encountered among the plan's enrollees.

(ii) A requirement that the plan shall provide LEP enrollees with interpretation services for information contained in plan-produced documents.

(iii) A requirement that qualified interpretation services be offered to LEP enrollees, at no cost to the enrollee, at all points of contact, including when an enrollee is accompanied by a family member or friend that can provide interpretation services. The offer of a qualified interpreter, and the enrollee's refusal if interpretation services are declined, shall be documented in the medical record or plan file, as applicable.

(iv) When an enrollee needs interpretation services at a point of contact that occurs in a hospital, facility or provider office subject to federal or state law that requires the hospital, facility or provider office to provide interpretation services, the plan is not relieved of its obligation to comply with the requirements of Section 1367.04 of the Act or this section. Full service plans shall have reasonable processes in place to ensure that LEP enrollees can obtain the plan's assistance in arranging for the provision of timely interpretation services at all points of contact as defined at subsection (b)(4). This subsection does not prohibit a plan from incorporating into its language assistance program a contracting hospital's language assistance program if: the hospital's language assistance program provides access to interpretation services consistent with the requirements of Section 1367.04 of the Act and this section; the plan monitors for deficiencies in delivery of interpretation services by the hospital; and the plan takes appropriate corrective action to address hospital deficiencies in delivery of interpretation services to the plan's enrollees. This subsection is not intended to limit or expand any existing state or federal law.

(v) A description of the arrangements the plan will make to provide or arrange for the provision of timely interpretation services at no charge to LEP enrollees at all points of contact where language assistance is needed. For purposes of this subsection “timely” means in a manner appropriate for the situation in which language assistance is needed. Interpretation services are not timely if delay results in the effective denial of the service, benefit, or right at issue. A plan's language assistance program shall specify quality assurance standards for timely delivery of language assistance services for emergency, urgent and routine health care services, and shall include standards for coordinating interpretation services with appointment scheduling.

(vi) The range of interpretation services that will be provided to enrollees as appropriate for the particular point of contact. The range of services may include, but is not limited to:

(vii) As used in this section, “trained and competent in the skill of interpreting,” “qualified interpretation services” and “qualified interpreter” means that the interpreter meets the plan's proficiency standards established pursuant to subsection (c)(2)((H).

(i) A documented and demonstrated proficiency in both English and the other language;

(ii) A fundamental knowledge in both languages of health care terminology and concepts relevant to health care delivery systems; and

(iii) Education and training in interpreting ethics, conduct and confidentiality. The Department will accept plan standards for interpreter ethics, conduct, and confidentiality that adopt and apply, in full, the standards promulgated by the California Healthcare Interpreters Association or the National Council on Interpreting in Healthcare.