Under ACA Section 1557, a health plan cannot deny coverage to LEP individuals and is required to provide language assistance to them, free of charge.

• A. True.
• B. False.
• C. Only for emergency services.
• D. Only if plan has LEP staff.

Answer: (A)

Under Section 1557, health plans and programs that receive federal funds cannot discriminate on the basis of national origin and must provide meaningful access to services for people with limited English proficiency. This means offering free language assistance—such as interpreter services and translated materials—so LEP individuals can understand benefits, enrollment information, coverage determinations, and other important communications, at no cost to them. The obligation applies broadly, not just to emergencies, and it exists regardless of whether the plan has staff fluent in the LEP language. So the statement is true: LEP individuals should receive coverage access and language assistance without being charged or needing to navigate language barriers themselves.