H.R.2092 - Supporting Patient Education And Knowledge Act of 2025; SPEAK Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
H.R.2092, the SPEAK Act of 2025, aims to improve access to healthcare information technology for individuals with limited English proficiency. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a task force and issue guidance on best practices for telehealth and digital patient portals. This includes facilitating interpreter use, providing accessible instructions, and offering patient materials in multiple languages.
Expected Effects
The SPEAK Act is likely to improve healthcare access and quality for non-English speakers by addressing language barriers in telehealth and digital health platforms. This will likely lead to better health outcomes and patient satisfaction within this population. It will also likely increase the workload of healthcare providers and health IT vendors.
Potential Benefits
- Improved access to telehealth services for non-English speakers.
- Enhanced communication between healthcare providers and patients with limited English proficiency.
- Increased utilization of digital patient portals by diverse populations.
- Better health outcomes due to improved understanding of medical information.
- Promotion of health equity by addressing language barriers in healthcare.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential costs associated with implementing language support services.
- Increased administrative burden for healthcare providers and health IT vendors.
- Possible delays in accessing telehealth services due to interpretation needs.
- Risk of misinterpretation or errors in translation.
- The effectiveness of the guidance will depend on its implementation and enforcement.
Constitutional Alignment
The bill appears to align with the general welfare clause of the Constitution, as it aims to improve healthcare access for a specific population. While the Constitution does not explicitly address healthcare or language access, the bill's intent to promote the well-being of all residents aligns with the spirit of ensuring domestic tranquility and promoting the general welfare as stated in the preamble.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).