Interpreting for an injured worker or a crime victim is covered by L&I and does not require prior authorization. The doctor or vocational provider can determine if the patient needs communication assistance.

 

Finding an interpreter
Learn about over-the-phone interpreters, including 2 private vendors, or you can find a face-to-face interpreter using out interpreter look-up service.

Interpreter Look-up Service
Use this tool to locate an interpreter in your area.

How to become and interpreter.
Information on credentials and links to L&I forms.

Do's & Don'ts - What you can and cannot do as an interpreter.
As an interpreter for an injured worker or crime victim, learn what is allowed.

Bill L&I - How to bill L&I for your services.
Information on how to bill L&I, what is covered and what forms to use.

Fee Codes - Use these codes and policies to bill L&I.
Use the codes on this page to bill L&I or the self-insurer. There is also a list of what is not covered and a page of sample billing scenarios.

 

If you have questions, please contact Cecilia Maskell, mili235@lni.wa.gov, or call 360-902-5161.

Finding an Interpreter

Interpreting for an injured worker or a crime victim is covered by L&I and does not require prior authorization. The doctor or vocational provider can determine if the patient needs communication assistance.

L&I does not pay for interpretation for making appointments or for legal purposes.

Face-to-face interpretation

Find a face-to-face interpreter using our interpreter look-up service.

Over-the-phone interpretation services

How over-the-phone interpretation works

• No authorization required on open claims. Check claim status prior to ordering over-the-phone interpretive services.
• Available for direct contact. Health-care or vocational providers can use over-the-phone interpretive services for direct contact (face-to-face) with workers or crime victims.

Choose from two private vendors

Health-care providers, both in and out of state, can request services using the following toll-free lines:

State Fund claim

• CTS language link: 877-626-0678
• Pacific Interpreters: 877-810-4721

Self-Insurance claim

• CTS language link: 877-626-0678
• Pacific Interpreters: 877-810-4723

Crime Victims claim

• CTS language link: 877-626-0678
• Pacific Interpreters: 877-840-2083

Benefits of over-the-phone interpretation

• Access to rare languages - over 180 languages available.
• Real-time access to a more comprehensive network of interpreters.
• No scheduled appointment is necessary.
• Interpreters available on the phone within 30-60 seconds.

If you have questions, please contact Cecilia Maskell, mili235@lni.wa.gov, or call 360-902-5161.

What you can and cannot do as an interpreter

What are the conduct standards for interpreters?

Please review the following requirements to make sure you are giving proper and necessary services to injured workers and crime victims:

• Your responsibilities toward all parties.

  The interpreter must ensure that all parties (injured worker/crime victim and the doctor/vocational provider) understand your role and obligations. You must:

  • Inform all parties that:
  • Everything said during the appointment will be interpreted and they should not say anything they don't want interpreted.
  • You will respect the confidentiality of the client.
  • You are required to remain neutral.
  • Disclose if there is a relationship to anyone that may influence, or if someone could perceive to influence, your impartiality.
  • Accurately and completely represent your credentials, training and experience to all parties.
• What you cannot do.

  As an interpreter for an injured worker or crime victim you cannot:

  • Market your services to workers or crime victims.
  • Arrange appointments in order to create business or to fit into your schedule including canceling and rescheduling a worker's medical appointment.
  • Contact them other than at the request of L&I, self-insurer, doctor or vocational provider.
  • Provide transportation to or from the doctor or vocational appointments.
  • Require them to use your interpreter services exclusive of other approved L&I interpreters.
  • Accept any money for services provided from anyone other than from L&I or the self-insurer.
  • Bill for someone else's services with your individual (not language agency group) provider account number.
  • Engage in any other activities that may be thought of as a service other than interpreting.
• You must interpret accurately and completely.
  • Interpret all communications in a thorough and accurate manner.
  • Interpret everything that is said by all people in the interaction.
  • Do not change, leave out or add information when you are interpreting, even if asked.
  • Maintain an impartial and neutral attitude.
  • Do not help the client make any decisions. They must make their own decisions.
  • Give consideration to linguistic differences in both the English and foreign languages and preserve the tone and spirit of the foreign language.
• You must keep information confidential.

  You must not discuss any information about an interpretation job without permission from all parties or unless it is required by law. This includes content of the assignment such as:

  • Time or place of the appointment.
  • The identity of the person involved.
  • What was discussed during your interpretation appointment.
  • The purpose of the appointment.
• You must stay impartial.
  • You must not discuss, counsel, refer, advise or give personal opinions or reactions to any party.
  • You must turn down the assignment if you have a vested interest in the outcome or when any situation, factor or belief exists that represents a real or potential conflict of interest.
• You must be competent.

  You must meet L&I's credentialing standards and be:

  • Fluent in English.
  • Fluent in the client's language.
  • Fluent in medical terminology in both languages.
  • Willing to decline assignments requiring knowledge or skills beyond your competence.
• Tips for interpreters.

  Something to keep in mind when working as an interpreter on an injured worker's or crime victim's claim:

  • Arrive on time.
  • Always provide ID to the client and provider.
  • Introduce yourself to the patient and provider.
  • Do not sit with the client in waiting room areas, unless assisting them with filling out a form.
  • Acknowledge language limitations when they arise and always ask for clarification.

What interpretive services will L&I pay for?

This table shows what services you can provide and if you can be paid by L&I.

Category	Can you provide services?	Can you be paid for services?	Can you provide services for IMEs?
Interpreter with provider account number	Yes	Yes	Yes, as arranged by insurer
Family member over age 18	Yes	No	No
Friend or acquaintance	Yes	No	No
Healthcare provider or their employee whose primary job is not interpretation	Yes	No	No
Vocational provider or their employee who is not a credentialed interpreter or translator	Yes	No	No
Worker's or crime victim's legal representative	No	No	No
Employer's legal representative	No	No	No
Persons under age 18	No	No	No

If you have questions, please contact Cecilia Maskell, mili235@lni.wa.gov, or call 360-902-5161.

How to bill for your services

Learn how to bill properly for your services:

Attending a billing workshop will help you save time and money by:

• Learning to bill L&I correctly.
• Learn about the Interpreter Service Appointment Record (ISAR).
• Interpreter resources and tools for doing business with L&I.
• Meeting your Provider Account Representatives.

You can bill two ways:

• Electronic billing (L&I only).
• Paper billing (L&I or self-insured).

Use these codes and policies to bill L&I.

Electronic billing (L&I only)

Before you can start billing L&I electronically, submit an Electronic Billing Authorization form (F248-031-000).

When you are authorized, you will go to the Provider Express billing site to bill L&I.
For more information, you can contact:

• Electronic Billing Unit
  Dept of L&I
  PO Box 44263
  Olympia, WA 98504-4263
  360-902-6511

Note: The Crime Victims Program does not have electronic billing available.

Paper billing (L&I or self-insured)

To bill L&I, use these forms, if the client is:

• An injured worker: Statement for Miscellaneous Services form (F245-072-000). Here is an example of a completed Statement for Miscellaneous Service form.
• A crime victim: Statement for Crime Victim Miscellaneous Services form (F800-076-000).

Billing a self-insurer is different than billing L&I. This can vary depending on the self-insurer. To determine insurer call 360-902-6901.

Get a copy of the Miscellaneous Services Billing Instructions manual by calling the Provider Hotline and requesting one.

Do I have to show proof of the time I interpreted for the client(s)?

Yes, you must show proof using one of the options below. Here is an example of a completed Interpretive Services Appointment Record form.

• The Interpretive Services Appointment Record form (F246-056-000) or
• The doctor's form or
• The language agency's encounter form.

If you choose to use the provider's form or the language agency's encounter form, see below for information the form must contain.

The upper right-hand corner of the form must show the:

• Claim number,
• Client's full name and
• Date of injury.

Also on the form:
The interpreter's name and language agency's name, if applicable.
Appointment information including:

• Healthcare or vocational provider name,
• Appointment street address,
• Appointment date,
• Appointment start time,
• Interpreter arrival time,
• Appointment completion time and/or
• If a group appointment, total number of clients participating.

Mileage information including:

• Miles from starting location (street address) to appointment,
• Miles from appointment to next appointment or return to starting location and
• Total miles.

Verification of the appointment is done by the healthcare or vocational provider and includes:

• Printed name and signature of person verifying services, and
• Date signed
  

Do I have to show proof of mileage ?

Yes, you must show proof by sending a printout from a software mileage program and name of software program used to the claim file.

Interpretive Services Appointment Record form and mileage verification must be in the claim file at the same time you bill the insurer or your bill may not be paid.

Individual Interpretation Services: You must bill services for the same client, for the same date of service, on one bill or your bill may not be paid.

Group Interpretation Services: Time and mileage is divided between all clients participating in group.
Send a separate bill for each client with prorated amounts. Send Interpretive Services Appointment Record form and mileage verification to each L&I client’s file.

Do not staple Interpretive Services Appointment Record form and mileage verification to bill forms.

Fax or send documentation separately from bills for State Fund or Crime Victims Compensation Program claims to:

State Fund - We prefer you fax the documentation.
Fax Number: (360) 902-4567	Mail: Department of Labor and Industries PO Box 44291 Olympia, WA 98504-4291 (360) 902-6500 1-800-848-0811
Crime Victims Compensation Program Department of Labor and Industries PO Box 44520 Olympia, WA 98504-4520 (360) 902-5377 1-800-762-3716	Self-insurer Varies – to determine insurer call (360) 902-6901 OR see Self-insurer list
Send State Fund Bills to: Department of Labor and Industries PO Box 44269 Olympia, WA 98504-4269

Can I be paid to translate a document?

You can only be paid when it is requested by L&I or the self-insurer.

What can I do if part of my bill is denied?

You can request a reconsideration if your bill was partially paid. To request reconsideration of denied charges:

• For L&I claims, see our Protest L&I Decisions web site.
• For self-insured claims:
• Request reconsideration directly to the self-insurer.
• If you cannot resolve the issue with the self-insurer, you can contact L&I's Self-Insured Section at 360-902-6901.

Adjustment vs. Submitting a New Bill

• When the whole bill is denied, then you need to submit a new bill.
• When part of the bill is paid, then you do an adjustment using the "Provider Request for Adjustment" form. Additional information on adjustments is available here.

If the time or mileage needs to be corrected you should adjust the last paid bill.

Use these codes and policies to bill L&I.
If you have questions, please contact Cecilia Maskell, mili235@lni.wa.gov, or call 360-902-5161.

Use these codes and policies to bill L&I

Also on this page:

• What is not covered by L&I or self-insurer?
• Who can I contact if I have questions?

9988M Group interpretation
Includes service time between more than 1 client and provider; filling out forms and wait time. The time is divided between all clients participating in the group.
1 Unit =	Fee per unit	Limits	Prior approval?
1 minute	Effective July 1, 2012 = $0.81 Effective July 1, 2010 = $0.79	480 minutes/day (8 hours)	No
Example: If 3 people are receiving a 60 minute group physical therapy session and the interpreter is assisting the physical therapist with all 3 people, the interpreter would bill 20 minutes per person.

9989M - Individual interpretation
Includes service time between client and provider; filling out forms and wait time.
1 Unit =	Fee per unit	Limits	Prior approval?
1 minute	Effective July 1, 2012 = $0.81 Effective July 1, 2010 = $0.79	480 minutes/day (8 hours)	No

9986M - Mileage
If services are to more than 1 client, the mileage must be divided between all clients served.
1 Unit =	Fee per unit	Limits	Prior approval?
1 mile	State Rate. See Office of Financial Management for private vehicle mileage rates (10.90.10.b)	Mileage billed over 200 miles per claim, per day, will be reviewed.	No

9996M - Interpreter "IME no show"
Wait time when injured worker does not attend the Independent Medical Exam (IME).
1 Unit =	Fee per unit	Limits	Prior approval?
Injured worker "no show" at IME	Effective July 1, 2012 = Flat fee $53.59 Effective July 1, 2008 - Flat fee $52.74 (Mileage to and from appointment is also paid.)	After "no show" occurs, call Scheduling Unit at 206-515-2799. Only 1 "no show" per worker, per day.	Yes, IME must be requested by L&I or the self-insurer.

9997M - Document Translation
Can only be reimbursed if L&I or the self-insurer requests the translation.
1 Unit =	Fee per unit	Limits	Prior approval?
1 page	By report	Amount billed over $500 per claim will be reviewed.	Yes, must be requested by L&I or the self-insurer.

To help you understand the billing requirements, you can review some sample billing scenarios here.

What is not covered by L&I or self-insurer?

The following services are not covered and may not be billed for reimbursement.

• Services provided on a claim that has been closed or denied, except for:
  • When it's their first doctor visit or
  • Has a doctor's visit to reopen a claim.
• A missed appointment for any service. (Only missed IME appointments which are requested by L&I or self-insurer are paid.)
• Personal assistance on behalf of injured worker or crime victim such as:
  • Scheduling appointments,
  • Translating correspondence,
  • Making phone calls, etc.
• Translating documents requested by the client or anyone else other than L&I or self-insurer.
• Interpreting anything for the healthcare or vocational provider that does not relate to what L&I or the self-insured may need.
• Travel time and travel related expenses, such as:
  • Meals,
  • Parking,
  • Lodging, etc.
• Overhead costs, such as:
  • Phone calls,
  • Photocopying,
  • Preparation of bills, etc.

If you have questions, please contact Cecilia Maskell, mili235@lni.wa.gov, or call 360-902-5161.