Texas Governor Abbott signs an order requiring hospitals to record patients’ immigration status

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed an executive order Thursday requiring hospitals to record the immigration status of patients later this year, in an effort to assess the costs the state incurs by providing care to people who don’t have permanent legal status.

On social mediaAbbott promised to have Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration reimburse Texas for its “costly” border policies.

“Texans should NOT have to foot the bill for health care for illegal immigrants,” the governor wrote.

Under federal law, hospitals cannot deny emergency care to anyone, 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 not legally present in the United States in the form of higher taxes.”

Under the new rules, from November 1, 2024, hospitals in the state will be required to record the number of hospital 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.

In addition, hospitals will be mandated to present an annual report on the costs of caring for these immigrants to the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the state House beginning in January 2026.

Abbott said hospitals should let patients know that the information they collect will not affect the care they provide.

The Texas Hospital Association, an industry group, said in a statement a press release that it is currently reviewing the implementing decision.

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. Simply unacceptable,” Garcia said wrote on social mediamentioning 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 network.”

Abbott, who has spoken regularly with the Biden administration on immigration, vowed not to work with Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, to make progress on the issue if they left the White House win in the November elections. .

“As the governor of the largest border state, I have to tell you that ticket is very frightening,” he said told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Wednesday. “As bad as Joe Biden has been at the border, Harris-Walz will be worse.”