[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6033 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 6033

 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

                            October 24, 2023

 Mrs. Steel (for herself, Mr. Gomez, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. 
Cardenas, Ms. De La Cruz, Mrs. Kim of California, Mr. Cuellar, Ms. Chu, 
Mr. Panetta, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Vargas, Mr. Carbajal, Ms. Lee of Nevada, 
             and Ms. Sewell) introduced the following bill

                            October 25, 2023

            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 2023'' or the ``SPEAK Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Telehealth has become a critical source of health care 
        for patients.
            (2) Patients with limited English proficiency have lower 
        telehealth use rates than proficient English speakers.
            (3) Patients with limited English proficiency are less 
        likely to utilize video telehealth options for primary care 
        visits.
            (4) Physicians providing telehealth services for people 
        with limited English proficiency would benefit from additional 
        resources and support.
            (5) Access to telehealth saves patients money through 
        reduced travel costs, as well as time-related tradeoffs.

SEC. 3. IMPROVED ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR NON-
              ENGLISH SPEAKERS TASK FORCE.

    (a) In General.--Within 180 days of the passage of this 
legislation, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this 
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall convene a task force 
known as the ``Improved Access to Health Care Information Technology 
for non-English Speakers Task Force'' (in this section referred to as 
the ``Task Force'') to--
            (1) assess current barriers to health information 
        technology services, including telehealth platforms and patient 
        portals, for people with limited English proficiency; and
            (2) develop recommendations and best practices for 
        addressing identified barriers including--
                    (A) how health information technology platforms can 
                be designed to maximize access for people with limited 
                English proficiency, including those with additional 
                barriers such as living in rural locations or with 
                communications-related disabilities;
                    (B) how health information technology platforms and 
                language service providers, including providers of 
                remote video interpretation, can improve integration; 
                and
                    (C) how health care providers can best facilitate 
                access to health information technology for their 
                patients with limited English proficiency.
    (b) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of 
representatives of--
            (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services;
            (2) the Office of the National Coordinator for Health 
        Information Technology;
            (3) the Health Resources and Services Administration;
            (4) the Office of Minority Health;
            (5) the Office for Civil Rights;
            (6) health information technology service providers, 
        including electronic medical record, remote patient monitoring 
        and tele- and mobile-health vendors and companies;
            (7) health care providers, including practicing physicians, 
        and hospitals;
            (8) health care insurance companies;
            (9) language service companies;
            (10) interpreter and translator professional associations;
            (11) health and language services quality certification 
        organizations;
            (12) patient and consumer advocates, including but not 
        limited to those working directly with limited English-
        proficient populations; and
            (13) any other entity determined necessary by the 
        Secretary.
    (c) Request for Information.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a request 
        for information for health care providers, insurance plans, 
        consumer organizations, language service providers, 
        interpreters and other relevant parties on barriers to 
        providing telehealth services to people with limited English 
        proficiency.
            (2) Summary of responses.--The Secretary shall compile and 
        summarize the responses to the request for information for the 
        Task Force which shall utilize them in completing its duties 
        under section (a).
    (d) Submission to Congress.--
            (1) Interim report.--Not later than one year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Task Force shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the progress of the Task Force in carrying 
        out subsection (a).
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Task 
        Force shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees 
        a report on the activities of the Task Force in carrying out 
        subsection (a), including--
                    (A) the results of the assessment under subsection 
                (a)(1); and
                    (B) any recommendations and best practices 
                developed under subsection (a)(2).

SEC. 4. BEST PRACTICES PUBLICATION.

    No later than 90 days after completion of each report described in 
section 2(d), the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish, 
publicize, and maintain a website for the purposes of informing health 
care and technology providers about best practices for connecting 
people with limited English proficiency to health care information 
technology services. The website shall provide guidance and resources, 
identifying best practices in--
            (1) facilitating and integrating use of interpreters during 
        telehealth sessions;
            (2) providing accessible instructions on how to access 
        telehealth platforms for people with limited English 
        proficiency;
            (3) improving access to digital patient portals; and
            (4) other topics need appropriate by the Secretary, as 
        advised by the Task Force established under section 3.
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