The Empire Plan is a unique health insurance plan designed especially for public employees in New York State. Empire Plan benefits include inpatient and outpatient hospital coverage, medical/surgical coverage, Centers of Excellence for transplants, infertility and cancer, home care services, equipment and supplies, mental health and substance abuse coverage and prescription drug coverage.
GOVERNOR
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL SERVICE
ALBANY, NEW YORK 12239
www.cs.ny.gov
NY12-02
PE12-01
SEHP12-01
TO: New York State Agency Health Benefits Administrators; Participating Employer Health Benefits Administrators; Student Employee Health Plan Health Benefits Administrators
FROM: Employee Benefits Division
SUBJECT: Using Language Line Services
DATE: June 12, 2012
Do you have an enrollee for whom English is a second language and who needs help with a health benefits question? The Employee Benefits Division's Language Line Service (LLS) is just a phone call away. LLS is an over-the-phone language translation service that is available to assist limited English-speaking enrollees and their HBA when they call EBD with questions about their health benefits. With over 170 languages available, an LLS interpreter can immediately help you communicate with the enrollee, whether the enrollee is at home, in your office or in another work location.
In a phone call with you, the enrollee, and the EBD representative, the LLS interpreter listens to your enrollee, analyzes the message and conveys its meaning to both you and the enrollee. Interpreters do not interpret word-for-word, but meaning-for-meaning. They may use several phrases instead of words to accurately describe what the enrollee is asking or saying.
If an enrollee speaks a language other than English, follow these steps to effectively work with both the interpreter and enrollee.
- Call the Benefits Administration Unit of the Employee Benefits Division at 518-474-2780 if you need help with the subject of the call or access to the Language Line service. The EBD representative will call an interpreter for you and the enrollee. Note: Since phone systems and circumstances may vary, it may be advisable to call EBD ahead of time to discuss the best way to conference in all necessary parties to the call.
- Language Line is the industry leader in call-connect time and, typically, the interpreter is on the line within 30 seconds. The call begins for you, the enrollee, the EBD representative, and the interpreter. Once you and the enrollee are connected with an interpreter, the EBD representative will disconnect if not needed.
- The interpreter will identify the enrollee's native language and translate for each of the individuals on the phone. There are thousands of skilled LLS interpreters that know the most frequently requested languages and will promptly help you complete the call.
Remember that EBD is the Health Benefits Administrator for retirees of New York State agencies and Participating Employers. Therefore, retirees may call EBD directly at 518-457-5754 or 1-800-833-4344 to access LLS. The EBD representative will call an interpreter to translate for the retiree. An authorized representative can also call on behalf of the enrollee, however, the representative must first complete, sign and submit a HIPAA Authorization form to EBD.
Please display the attached poster in your office so that enrollees and other personnel know that this service is available. Both the Empire Plan Report and HMO Report that will be mailed to enrollees in the next few months will include a brief article about LLS, so you may receive calls about this service. For more information about Language Line, visit their web site at www.languageline.com.
If you have questions about LLS or need help accessing the service, please contact EBD Communications at 518-457-7577. Thanks for your support and interest in Language Line Services!
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