Time based coding still has to meet medical necessity requirements.
The best way to think of it is if this same service was provided to a patient without a translator, would it have taken as long?
A good example is children. Some will sit on the table and let the providers examine them, takes a few minutes. Others, the providers have to chase them around the room, under the table, down the hall, etc.. same exam is done but it took 30 minutes.
I have no doubt it took longer to treat a patient with a translator but if it is because everything had to be done in 2 different languages that doesn't support medical necessity.
To completely level the service, you are correct more info is needed. Getting social history can change the level of history so it could impact the level of the visit.
Having a translator would not affect the code set used.
Hope this is helpful,
Laura, CPC, CEMC