Name of Manual - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota

Coding Policies and Guidelines (Public Programs)
Interpretive Services Blue Plus contracts with several interpreter agencies to provide
sign and spoken interpreter services for members of Blue Plus
MHCP plans only.
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These members can be identified by their identification numbers,
which begin with “80” (i.e. 80XXXXXXX).
Primary care clinics, physician specialty clinics and Select
behavioral health clinics may request a contract in order to provide
and bill Blue Plus for interpreter services at their sites for MHCP
members. To request a contract, primary care clinics, physician
specialty clinics or Select behavioral health clinics should fax a
request to Theresa Peters-Nelson, Provider Contracting at
(651) 662-6326, or mail your request to:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Attn: Theresa Peters-Nelson, S117
1750 Yankee Doodle Road
Eagan, MN 55121-1600
Effective January 1, 2011, in order to comply with Minnesota
Department of Human Services requirements (in accordance with
Minnesota State Statute Sec. 144.058), any interpretation services
provided to Blue Plus Minnesota Health Care Program members
must be rendered by a registered and rostered interpreter with
proper certification.
All providers contracted with Blue Plus for provision of
interpretation services are accountable for ensuring that
interpreters employed by or contracted with their agency meet
these requirements.
Services provided by interpreters who do not meet the
qualifications outlined in the statute are ineligible for payment and
should not be billed to Blue Plus. Interpreters who are not properly
qualified cannot bill either Blue Plus or the member.
If the provider does not have a Blue Plus interpreter contract and
schedules interpreter services with an interpretation agency that
does not hold a contract with Blue Plus Public Programs customer
service, the interpreter charges are the financial responsibility of
the provider. Hospitals are responsible for arranging and
reimbursing for interpreter services for hospital inpatient services.
A Blue Plus Public Programs member, clinic, public health agency
or county worker may call Blue Plus Public Programs Customer
Service, or the contracted interpreter agency for assistance in
scheduling an interpreter for the member’s covered health services.
The contracted agency will bill Blue Plus directly.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Provider Policy and Procedure Manual (02/07/12)