Who pays for the interpreter?

By now most of us have seen sign language interpreters in action. On TV, in classrooms and especially in healthcare settings. The question is always “Who pays for the interpreter?” Then the fingers start to point all around. Thankfully there is some guidance on this topic.

The law is the full stop answer to the question, that law is the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act, requires a service provider, a doctor or medical clinic which serves patients or their guardians who are deaf or hard of hearing to provide access to full and equal communication. An interpreter fills that role. A professional, trained and certified interpreter is the best option to be sure the interaction is neutral, complete and confidential. In effort to save on costs some providers have asked the deaf client to bring a “signing” friend or family member to sign for them, the problem here is that people close to the client can not be neutral, are often emotionally involved and there is no accountability for confidentiality. Ask yourself, Would I want my auntie/dad/kids in talks with my doctor?

The way we get information is incredibly important to wellbeing this reinforces the need for interpreters. Luckily there are several ways for a provider to be paid back for the cost of providing a sign language interpreter. The IRS offers a tax benefit to small businesses who report expenses related to providing access to people with disabilities. For those in the therapy business there is a complexity code to help defray costs associated with interpreters. Nationally the Centers of Medicaid and Medicare Services include a billing code to help cover the cost as well.

The cost of interpreters should never be a barrier to inclusivity.

Ask us about our “Interpreter Reimbursement Fact Sheet” with tips and specific billing codes for help paying for interpreters.