Sen. Jim Banks Calls for Investigation into Biden’s Language Services Rule

Senator Jim Banks from Indiana has urged the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under President Trump to look into a policy established by former President Biden. This rule mandates that health care providers cover the costs of language interpretation for patients who do not speak English, a significant number of whom may be undocumented.

In 2024, the Biden administration finalized a regulation requiring health care providers to offer complimentary language services to non-English speaking patients.

Banks expressed concerns in a letter to HHS, which was exclusively reviewed by Breitbart News, emphasizing that such rules place a heavy burden on small, independent, rural hospitals that operate on tighter budgets compared to larger healthcare facilities.

“This additional restriction places a considerable and perhaps even untenable strain on healthcare providers. The cost for in-person medical interpreting ranges from $45 to $150 per hour,” he stated.

He further noted, “These expenses often surpass the reimbursements health care providers receive for basic visits. Consequently, providers end up having to absorb these costs. While larger hospital systems might manage this financial burden without much issue, independent, rural, and smaller providers are struggling and facing financial pressures, particularly in Indiana and other regions.” He added that such financial strains could potentially push at-risk providers to the brink of closure, thereby reducing access to care in communities.

Banks also pointed out that many patients needing these language services are undocumented immigrants. He stated, “It’s also crucial to acknowledge that the requirements for language assistance tend to benefit undocumented immigrants who often do not qualify for public assistance. Frequently, these mandates obligate U.S. healthcare providers to subsidize services for illegal immigrants, which compromises their capacity to serve American citizens.”

The senator has requested that HHS officials “reassess the legal foundation for the language assistance mandate, look into the interpretation of prior regulations and policies by the previous administration, and evaluate the inability of healthcare providers to recoup these expenses.” He also seeks clarification on whether hospitals can recover such costs.