First few Article Sentences
On November 1, certain Texas hospitals must comply with an Executive Order issued by Governor Greg Abbott on August 8, 2024 (Order), requiring them to document medical costs related to the care of individuals without legal immigration status. Governor Abbott provided the following statement explaining the reasoning behind his Order:
“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,” said Governor Abbott. “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.”
Under the Order, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) must collect data on the use of Texas acute care hospitals for inpatient and emergency care for “illegal immigrants.” Beginning November 1, covered hospitals and designated providers must collect this data and report it to HHSC on a quarterly basis starting March 1, 2025. Additionally, hospitals and providers must inform patients that under federal law, their responses to questions about immigration status will NOT impact the care they receive. The Order also mandates that starting January 1, 2026, HHSC must submit an annual report to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House outlining the previous year’s costs for medical care provided to illegal immigrants.