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H.R. 2092House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

SPEAK Act of 2025

Sponsored by Monica De La CruzRep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX)
Introduced March 14, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 1:50 AM UTC

The SPEAK Act of 2025 directs the Health and Human Services Secretary to create a task force that will develop guidance to help non‑English‑speaking patients use health‑care technology, especially telehealth. Within a year, the department must publish best‑practice recommendations on interpreter use, multilingual instructions, patient portal access, video‑call interpretation, and multilingual patient communications. The effort involves health‑IT companies, health‑care providers, insurers, language‑service firms, interpreter groups, certification bodies, and patient‑advocacy groups.

Key Provisions

  • The Secretary of Health and Human Services must set up a task force (with input from health‑IT firms, providers, insurers, language‑service companies, interpreter groups, certification bodies, and patient advocates) to improve health‑care IT access for people who do not speak English well.
  • Within one year of the bill becoming law, the Secretary must issue (or update) guidance on best practices for telehealth services to people with limited English proficiency.
  • The guidance must cover how to use interpreters during telemedicine visits, how to give clear instructions for accessing telehealth systems, how to make digital patient portals easier to use, how to use multi‑person video calls for interpretation, and how to provide patient communications (like appointment reminders and prescription info) in multiple languages.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

March 14, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 14, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

March 14, 2025

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 14, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2092

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 14, 2025

Ms. De La Cruz (for herself, Mr. Evans of Colorado, Mr. Veasey, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Panetta, Ms. Norton, Ms. Pettersen, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Valadao, and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a task force to improve access to health care information technology for non-English speakers.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Supporting Patient Education And Knowledge Act of 2025 or the SPEAK Act of 2025.

2.

Guidance on furnishing services via telehealth to individuals with limited English proficiency

(a)

In general

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with 1 or more entities from each of the categories described in paragraphs (1) through (7) of subsection (b), shall issue and disseminate, or update and revise as applicable, guidance for the entities described in such subsection on the following:

(1)

Best practices on facilitating and integrating use of interpreters during a telemedicine appointment.

(2)

Best practices on providing accessible instructions on how to access telecommunications systems (as such term is used for purposes of section 1834(m) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395m(m)) for individuals with limited English proficiency.

(3)

Best practices on improving access to digital patient portals for individuals with limited English proficiency.

(4)

Best practices on integrating the use of video platforms that enable multi-person video calls furnished via a telecommunications system for purposes of providing interpretation during a telemedicine appointment for an individual with limited English proficiency.

(5)

Best practices for providing patient materials, communications, and instructions in multiple languages, including text message appointment reminders and prescription information.

(b)

Entities described

For purposes of subsection (a), an entity described in this subsection is an entity in 1 or more of the following categories:

(1)

Health information technology service providers, including—

(A)

electronic medical record companies;

(B)

remote patient monitoring companies; and

(C)

telehealth or mobile health vendors and companies.

(2)

Health care providers, including—

(A)

physicians; and

(B)

hospitals.

(3)

Health insurers.

(4)

Language service companies.

(5)

Interpreter or translator professional associations.

(6)

Health and language services quality certification organizations.

(7)

Patient and consumer advocates, including such advocates that work with individuals with limited English proficiency.