L&I's Review of Spoken Language In-Person Interpretation Services
L&I has the responsibility to ensure appropriate payment for interpretation services. In order to verify that services are secured and billed according to L&I’s MARFS Chapter 14: Payment Policy for Language Access Services and ensure appropriate payment for these services, L&I has ongoing prepayment and post payment review processes. The reviews are done for services rendered through the interpretingWorks scheduling system and via on-demand interpretation services.
During a number of these reviews, L&I has identified aberrant circumstances in which the appointment duration submitted following the appointment deviates significantly from the requested duration of the appointment.
As a reminder, healthcare/vocational providers or their staff are responsible for verifying the interpreter services provided through the scheduling system or on-demand. L&I and interpretingWorks ask for your collaboration and prompt response to any requests for information in order to corroborate the Language Access Providers' (LAPs') interpretation time.
Important Clarifications: L&I has not changed our payment policy for spoken language interpretation services and neither L&I nor interpretingWorks have changed the current working or payment conditions for LAPs. Furthermore, L&I is responsible for recovering overpayments per WAC 296-20-015 (6).
For appointments completed through the scheduling system:
Effective 6/13/2023, interpretingWorks will be requesting corroboration of the interpreter's check-in and check-out times from the providers/requesters for the following events that will be in “Under Provider Review” status:
- Appointments of 10 minutes or less (LAP’s check-in/check-out times are within 10 minutes)
- Appointments that went 30 minutes or more beyond the requested time
- LAP checked in but did not check-out at the service address
interpretingWorks will post the Electronic Verification instructions on the “Resources” tab within the scheduling system.
For on-demand interpreter services:
L&I is adjudicating all on-demand interpreter bills to ensure that the services are billed and paid appropriately.
Per our policy, providers may request in-person interpretation for “on-demand” appointments with individual LAPs only for the following visits:
- Unscheduled, initial visit to file report of accident regardless of when the injury happened, or reopening application,
- Emergency, urgent care, and walk-in visits,
- Independent Medical Exams (IMEs) when the scheduling system has not secured an LAP within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment.
LAPs delivering services outside of the scheduling system are not authorized to provide in-person interpretation for scheduled appointments. Providers must submit ALL requests for interpreter services for ALL scheduled appointments through the scheduling system. If the appointment is on the provider’s schedule for the day, that is a scheduled appointment.
For healthcare and vocational providers:
In order to reduce the number of requests for corroboration, document in your chart notes the interpreter name, language, and appointment duration.
In addition, for on-demand interpreter services, include the reason the services were on-demand and review the Interpreter Services Appointment Record (ISAR) (F245-056-000) for accuracy prior to signing.
NOTE: L&I does provide other options for interpretation services. Language Link is the resource for over-the-phone (OPI) and video remote (VRI) interpretation services and should be used as the backup when an in-person interpreter is not secured through the scheduling system for a scheduled appointment.
LAPs and providers may send any questions or concerns regarding this communication, or requests for consultative assistance about obtaining interpretation services to L&I’s Interpreter Services inbox: Interpretation@Lni.Wa.Gov.
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