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Update: Blue Cross NC working with providers to support member language assistance

Update: We originally published the following provider news post on April 7, 2025. We would like to clarify the language services Blue Cross NC provides for our members.

Please note that the email address has changed for providers to inform the Health Engagement team about any language gaps they encounter with our members.

To better serve our members’ communications needs, Blue Cross NC encourages in-network providers to email our Health Engagement team about any language gaps they encounter with our members.

We will continue updating our provider directory so members may more easily find a provider that can meet their communications needs.

Blue Cross NC provides free language services for members whose primary language is something other than English. Members who need language assistance can call the customer service phone number found on the back of their ID card. Our Customer Service team utilizes an interpretive services vendor to assist members with questions about their ID cards, benefits, claims, prior authorizations, etc. These services also include assistance with translating their health plan documents and contacting their provider to schedule appointments. This does not include translation services for members during provider visits/encounters.


 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) is working with our in-network providers in understanding and meeting the linguistic needs of our diverse member populations.

Please continue to let us know if you notice any language gaps by emailing our Health Equity team, so we can further support our members.

According to Experian data and the Blue Cross NC Translation Service Line data, Commercial non-English speakers represent 10% of the population, with more than half indicating Spanish as their primary language. Marketplace non-English speakers represent 9% of the population, with 38% indicating Spanish as their primary language.

Below are the top 10 languages separated by population whose primary language is not English.

Commercial population

Marketplace population

Spanish

Spanish

Asian Indian

Vietnamese

Mandarin

Asian Indian

French

Mandarin

Vietnamese

Arabic

Arabic

Urdu

Italian

Korean

Korean

Russian

Urdu

French

Russian

Italian

Spanish dominates these populations. The remaining predominant languages are similar between Commercial and Marketplace, although in varying order. Together, Asian Indian (Hindi or other) (22.21%), Vietnamese (14.63%), and Mandarin (15.29%) top the lists.

It is worth noting the variances in the lesser languages for Commercial and Marketplace, specifically Hindi, Mandarin, French, and Vietnamese for Commercial and Vietnamese, Hindi, Mandarin, and Arabic for Marketplace.

Our Translation Services Line requests reveal that Spanish is the dominant translation service request with Mandarin and Vietnamese ranking second and third.

Most frequent Customer Service Translation requests per language type:

  • Spanish
  • Mandarin
  • Vietnamese
  • Korean
  • French
  • Cantonese
  • Russian

Language assistance is available for members who need it by calling the customer service phone number found on the back of their ID card.