LIBRE Applauds U.S. House for Approving the Bipartisan SPEAK Act

(Arlington, VA) – Today, The LIBRE Initiative, the largest center-right Latino organization in the country applauded the U.S. House of Representatives for approving the SPEAK Act – bi-partisan legislation that would require the Department of Health and Human Services to issue guidance for improving telehealth services for non-English speakers.

The LIBRE Initiative has been supportive of the legislation since it was first introduced by Rep. Michelle Steel from California’s 45^th congressional district.

Helder Toste, government affairs liaison of The LIBRE Initiative, issued the following statement after the U.S. House approved the SPEAK Act:

“As the son of migrant farm workers who saw first-hand the challenges my parents faced because they did not know the English language, I am incredibly happy to see lawmakers, from both sides of the aisle, approve this commonsense legislation which will reduce barriers preventing non-English speaking patients from receiving the personalized care they seek.

On behalf of the entire LIBRE family, which includes a growing army of volunteers and activists, I want to especially thank Congresswoman Michelle Steel who introduced this legislation and worked tirelessly to raise awareness and reach across the aisle to get this bill passed in the U.S. House.

We now urge the U.S. Senate to take up this bill and approve it without delay quickly.

At a time when hyper-partisanship is paralyzing Washington, lawmakers should approve the bipartisan SPEAK Act to show that Congress can come together and deliver for the American people while improving our health care system.”

Background:

Daniel Garza, founder and president of The LIBRE Initiative, co-authored an opinion piece with Rep. Michelle Steel for the Orange County Register in support of the SPEAK Act. Click here to read the entire op-ed.

From the op-ed:

“Imagine yourself at the doctor’s office, seated next to your mother who only speaks Korean. You listen intently, focused on each and every word the doctor said while furiously taking notes. It’s easy to feel frustrated. How can someone share in the right language, in the right way, how your mother feels and most importantly how do you translate the information you were receiving in English to Korean. 

Things often get lost in translation and this challenge affects millions of Americans. 

Telehealth for example, is a phenomenal resource that continues improving health care access not just by lowering costs but by removing the temporal and geographical barriers to care. Unfortunately, not all Americans have been able to benefit.

Patients with limited English proficiency are significantly less likely than other Americans to make use of telehealth. The demand for these services is present in communities with limited English proficiency, but to solve this problem it will require a bipartisan effort. That is why it is so important to find common ground in Congress to help break down language barriers in this country to improve access to our health care system. The introduction of the Supporting Patient Education and Knowledge (SPEAK) Act marks an important step toward assuring that all Americans have access to the care they need. 

The SPEAK Act would create a taskforce to identify how best to support the over 25 million people in the U.S. with limited English proficiency and ensure that they can also benefit from new health care services. Health care affects all of us and a language barrier is not just a treatment barrier, but it is also expensive. Not only does limited language access keep individuals from receiving proper care or even pursuing it, but unclear communication can result in real harm to patients and providers.  

The numbers themselves speak volumes—patients with limited English proficiency face an elevated risk of medical errors, and a staggering $1.7 billion in medical malpractice costs over five years could have been averted with improved patient communication. It’s more than just policy; it’s about drastically improving and even saving lives. The SPEAK act is more than a message, it’s a commitment to making healthcare services accessible to all Americans.

The Asian and Hispanic communities to which we belong would benefit greatly from increased language access. Together these two communities represent 60 percent of California’s 45th district and 54 percent of the whole state. Many of us enjoy the rich diversity of our community: from the Vietnamese Night Market in Little Saigon to the culture celebrations in Buena Park, our district represents the best of America, and we should want all Americans, regardless of origin, to be able to receive services just like everyone else….”

Originally Posted The Orange County Register