SYRACUSE, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) —New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Oct. 31 that Molina Health Care of New York (Molina), formerly Total Care of New York (Total Care), will change certain business practices and pay $25,000 in penalties after allegedly violating rules related to limited English proficiency notices.
According to Schneiderman’s office, the defendants failed to provide important information and notices to limited English proficiency (LEP) enrollees. Certain enrollees speak neither English nor Spanish and were purportedly not provided with any translation services for important notices.
Additionally, the defendants allegedly failed to provide communication assistance services to at least one enrollee who is deaf. The defendants agreed to remove these alleged language communication barriers from its business practices.
“New York health insurers have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that vulnerable consumers, especially those dependent on home care services, receive critical information about their health care in a way they can understand,” Schneiderman said. “All New Yorkers are entitled to equal access to health care – and we urge anyone who suspects that they are not being treated fairly to contact us right away.”
Handling the case for New York were assistant attorney general Brant Campbell of the Health Care Bureau and assistant attorney general Anjana Samant of the Civil Rights Bureau.