Policy Changes Threaten Healthcare Access for Non-English Speakers

Updated May⁣ 31, 2025

San‌ Francisco — Recent ⁤federal policy shifts and funding‌ cuts are reducing healthcare access for individuals with ⁤limited English proficiency, according to health nonprofits and medical interpreters. The changes have led to the elimination of community worker positions in California,‍ impacting assistance ‌for⁤ non-English speakers navigating the healthcare system and signing up for insurance coverage.

Simultaneously occurring, healthcare advocates report a decline in requests for language services, attributing this partly ⁤to immigration‌ concerns and policy ⁣changes.Carol Wong,⁣ a senior rights attorney for Justice in Aging, warned that these ⁤changes could hinder access to⁢ essential benefits, particularly​ for children and seniors.

Census data indicates that nearly 69 million‍ people in the U.S. speak a language othre‌ than English, with 26 million having limited English proficiency. A KFF Los Angeles ⁣Times survey revealed that immigrants with ⁣limited English proficiency⁤ face greater ⁤barriers to healthcare and experience poorer‌ health outcomes.

Advocates fear that inadequate‍ support will increase the risk of medical errors, misdiagnosis, and neglect for millions. Past incidents,⁣ such as a ⁣coronavirus patient’s ⁣death due to communication barriers, highlight the potential consequences. A state website once erroneously ⁤stated in Spanish that the COVID-19 vaccine was unnecessary.

While⁢ past executive orders aimed to improve language access, recent ‌policy changes have‍ scaled back these efforts. The Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration have⁤ reportedly ‍reduced language services. The Justice Department ‍is​ reviewing its language access plan, though a‌ link to the plan is currently broken.

Mara Youdelman, a managing director at the National Health ⁣Law Program, emphasized the importance of public input when making changes that affect communication access. She ‌noted that⁤ hospitals and healthcare providers are still required to ​provide language assistance at no cost to patients, nonetheless⁢ of federal policies.

Youdelman added, “English can be the‌ official language and people still have a ⁤right to‌ get language services when thay go to access health care. Nothing in ‌the executive order changed the actual law.”

Despite federal uncertainty, some states are ‌expanding⁣ their language access requirements. California ⁣lawmakers⁤ are considering legislation to establish a language access director, mandate ⁤human review of AI translations, and⁢ improve language needs assessments.

Jake ​Hofstetter, a policy analyst at the Migration​ Policy⁤ Institute, stated⁤ that state and local access laws are increasingly important given the uncertainty at the ​federal level.

While some local ‌departments report ⁤no impact from ⁣federal changes, others ⁤have experienced reductions. The Fresno ⁤County Department ⁢of Public Health cut community health workers by more than ⁢half,⁣ reducing the ​availability of navigators who speak various languages.

Mary Anne Foo, executive director‍ of the Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community ⁤Alliance, saeid ⁤that federal funding freezes will​ force the institution to let ⁣go of bilingual therapists, psychiatrists, and case managers, impacting services for over 80,000 patients.

“We can only keep them‌ through June 30,” ⁤Foo said.‌ “We’re still trying to figure ⁢it out ⁣— if we⁣ can cover people.”

What’s next

Advocates will continue to monitor the impact of​ policy changes on healthcare access for individuals with ​limited English proficiency,pushing​ for state and‍ local initiatives to bridge the ‍gap in services.