Governor Greg Abbott has ordered Texas hospitals that participate in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program to report the costs of treating undocumented immigrants.
In a news release that included a link to the executive order, Governor Abbott blamed the Biden administration’s immigration and border security policies for shifting health care costs onto taxpayers.
“Texans should not have to bear the financial burden of supporting the health care costs of illegal immigrants,” Abbott said.
Governor Abbott’s order does not provide clear guidance on how hospitals must verify a patient’s immigration or citizenship status, and the governor’s office did not respond to an email requesting additional information.
Carrie Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas Hospital Association, said the organization is reviewing the order “as expeditiously as possible.”
“Currently, hospitals do not ask about a patient’s immigration status as a condition of treatment,” she said. “Hospitals are required by law to provide life-saving treatment to anyone, regardless of ability to pay or status.”
