Translating printed materials

By law, contracted providers must provide all generally available and member-specific written materials in a format that will be understood by each individual member.

You may meet this requirement by doing one of the following:

• Translating the material into the member's primary reading language.
• Providing the material on tape in the member's primary language.
• Having an interpreter read the material to the member in the member's primary language.
• Providing the material in another alternative medium or format acceptable to the member. You must document the member's acceptance of the alternative. Alternative formats may include large print, audio, Braille, accessible electronic formats, and other formats requested by a member.
• Providing the material in English, if you document the member's preference for material in English.

In addition, there are many resources for translated health care documents, including:

• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Spanish Web site
• Immunization Action Coalition (immunization information in multiple languages)
• Kaiser Permanente Interpretive Services and Accessibility