LINC / Language access
Interpreter card
This card is for people who get care in a language other than English. Open it in the language you need and show it at the front desk, or share it with someone you are helping.
Your right to an interpreter, in the law
In the United States, any program that receives federal funds must give you a qualified interpreter at no cost to you. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars leaving you out because of your national origin or the language you speak. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act applies that same duty to health care and calls for qualified interpreters and translated materials. Executive Order 13166 directs federally funded programs to provide meaningful access. A family member, a friend, or a child is not a substitute for a qualified interpreter, and you should not be asked to bring your own.
If you are refused: ask again and name the law, ask to speak with the language-access or civil-rights coordinator, and write down the date, the place, and who you spoke with. You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, and staying in care is still your right while you do.
I speak English. Please provide a qualified interpreter, free of charge.
A qualified interpreter, free of charge, is your right under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act (42 U.S.C. 2000d) and Section 1557 of the ACA (42 U.S.C. 18116).