Banks Demands HHS Probe Biden Rule Forcing Hospitals to Pay for Illegal Alien Interpreters

Senator Jim Banks of Indiana has submitted a formal request to the Department of Health and Human Services demanding a comprehensive review of the 2024 rule, which mandates that healthcare providers supply language interpretation at no cost to patients unable to communicate in English, according to Breitbart News.

The regulation finalized under the previous administration has proven particularly devastating for independent, rural, and small-scale hospitals that lack the substantial financial reserves available to major healthcare systems, Banks argues in his letter to HHS, which was obtained exclusively by Breitbart News.

Crushing Financial Burden on Rural Providers

The Indiana lawmaker details how in-person medical interpretation services carry price tags ranging from 45 to 150 dollars per hour. In numerous cases, these expenses surpass the actual reimbursement that providers receive for the medical consultation itself.

This creates an untenable situation where healthcare facilities must absorb the difference out of pocket. While major hospital networks possess the financial capacity to weather such costs, independent and rural providers throughout Indiana and beyond are facing severe financial pressure that threatens their continued operation.

Banks warns that the additional expense could force already vulnerable medical facilities to close their doors permanently, reducing healthcare access for entire communities.

Subsidizing Services for Illegal Aliens

The senator explicitly notes that a significant portion of patients requiring these mandated language services are individuals residing in the United States illegally, many of whom would not qualify for other forms of public assistance.

Banks contends that the language assistance mandates effectively force American healthcare providers to subsidize services for those in the country unlawfully, simultaneously undermining their capacity to care for American citizens.

Call for Regulatory Review

In his letter to HHS officials, Banks requests a thorough reexamination of the legal foundation supporting the language assistance mandate, as well as how previous administrations have interpreted relevant regulations and policies.

The senator is specifically seeking information on whether the agency can help healthcare providers recover the costs imposed by this requirement, and whether the Trump administration will consider rescinding or modifying the rule.

The request reflects growing Republican scrutiny of Biden administration policies that conservatives argue have prioritized illegal immigrants at the expense of American healthcare providers and patients.

With information from Breitbart News