Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Thursday signed an executive order requiring hospitals to record the immigration status of patients starting later this year, in a bid to assess costs that the state incurs by providing care to people lacking permanent legal status.
On social media, Abbott vowed to make Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration reimburse Texas for its “costly” border policies.
“Texans should NOT have to foot the bill for illegal immigrants healthcare,” the governor wrote.
Under federal law, hospitals are not allowed to deny emergency care to any individual, regardless of their immigration status or ability to cover the cost of treatment.
Abbott said this results in Texans ultimately bearing “the costs associated with public financial support for medical care for individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States, in the form of higher taxes.”
Under the new rules, starting Nov. 1, 2024, hospitals in the state will be required to log the number of inpatient discharges and emergency visits by such immigrants, as well as the costs associated with providing care to them. The newly signed order also calls for hospitals to report the data quarterly to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, with the first submissions due by March 1, 2025.
Additionally, hospitals will be mandated to present an annual report on the cost of care for these immigrants to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the state House starting in January 2026.
Abbott said hospitals should let patients know that the information they collect won’t affect the care they provide.
The Texas Hospital Association, an industry group, said in a press release that it is currently reviewing the executive order.
The new directive has already drawn criticism from Democrats, including Texas Rep. Sylvia Garcia.
“Here we go again! @GovAbbott yet again social engineering and targeting immigrants. Just unacceptable,” Garcia wrote on social media, mentioning a handle used by Abbott.
“He should focus on issues that matter to Texas families like making sure our kids are safe from gun violence in school and fixing our damn grid.”
Abbott, who has frequently sparred with the Biden administration on immigration, did not commit to working with Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, to make progress on the issue if they win the White House in the November election.
“As governor of the largest border state, I’ve got to tell you, that ticket is very frightening,” he told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Wednesday. “As bad as Joe Biden has been on the border, Harris-Walz will be even worse.”