Gov. Greg Abbott has issued an executive order requiring Texas hospitals to track and report the medical costs associated with illegal aliens in the state.
The order, announced on August 8, was issued in response to what Abbott described as the financial burden imposed on the state by President Joe Biden’s federal immigration policies and the record-high influx of illegal aliens into Texas over the last few years.
In a recent press release, Abbott criticized the Biden-Harris administration’s border policies, saying, “Due to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies, Texas has had to foot the bill for medical costs for individuals illegally in the state.”
“Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants. That is why today I issued an Executive Order requiring the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect and report healthcare costs for illegal immigrants in our state. Texas will hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable for the consequences of their open border policies, and we will fight to ensure that they pay back Texas for their costly and dangerous policies,” Abbott added.
The order aims to address the financial impact of medical costs associated with illegal aliens, which, according to a 2021 report by Attorney General Ken Paxton, involves significant expenditures on the part of Texas taxpayers.
Texas spends an estimated $152 million annually on housing, between $62 million and $90 million for emergency Medicaid programs, and up to $717 million for uncompensated hospital care for illegal aliens, according to a report by Texas Scorecard.
Under the new requirements, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will oversee several key actions.
Starting November 1, 2024, hospitals and designated healthcare providers will begin collecting data on the costs of medical care for illegal aliens.
Per the governor’s press release, hospitals covered under the order must submit such data to the HHSC quarterly, with the first report due by March 1, 2025.
Hospitals must also inform patients that disclosing their immigration status will not affect the quality of care they receive.
Beginning January 1, 2026, HHSC will issue annual reports to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the House detailing the yearly costs of medical care provided to illegal aliens within the state.