Policy Update

Medicare coverage of medical interpretation services could help improve health care quality for beneficiaries with limited English proficiency, a recent report by the Center on Budget and Policy found.

The report highlights options for Medicare coverage of interpretation services and cites as one option providing grants to hospitals, medical schools and community groups to increase recruitment and retention of multilingual personnel.

This week's Health Policy Research Update also includes:

• A study addressing the efficacy of health care system reform efforts; and
  
  
• Strategies for negotiating public health agreements with tobacco companies.