Spokane7
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December 12, 2010 in City
Interpreter services for patients face cut
SEATTLE – About 70,000 Washington residents who do not speak English fluently may lose access to interpreters during medical visits under a proposed budget cut.
The proposed $2 million cut in Gov. Chris Gregoire’s emergency budget would eliminate a state-funded program that subsidizes interpreter services to medical clinics and hospitals who serve Medicaid patients.
Lawmakers met in a special session Saturday to approve other steps for trimming a $1.1 billion budget deficit through June.
Department of Social and Health Services spokesman Jim Stevenson said the program cut was part of a plan to cut $113 million from DSHS spending.
Interpreter groups and the medical industry said cutting the program would shift the cost of hiring interpreters to doctors, hospitals and clinics, or would be another reason for health care providers to stop serving Medicaid patients.
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Northwest wheat 
Bob_Knows on December 13 at 7:24 p.m.
Send the illegal aliens home instead of providing free medical care for any illegal alien who can show up here.
jwc928 on January 27 at 10:04 p.m.
Everyone in the Social Service Department and Medical field should have to speak at least 17 languages so our diversity is maintained to the nth degree. No one coming to this country should even try to learn English since it should be a 4th or 5th choice in blending into our society. Perhaps every American should have to go back to school and learn the 17 languages in order to fit into our melting pot.