Texas hospitals hit with $122 million bill for illegal immigrants' care in single month
Texas hospitals were left on the hook for nearly $122 million in health care costs racked up by illegal immigrants for one month last year, the first month the state began tracking the figures.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed an executive order in August mandating the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (THHSC) to track the number of "individuals not lawfully present" in the U.S. who used Texas public hospitals.
The first report, released Friday, shows more than 31,000 hospital visits by illegal immigrants in November alone — costing Texas hospitals $121.8 million.
Abbott's executive order directed Texas hospitals to provide THHSC with quarterly breakdowns on patients who are not lawfully present in the U.S., including the number of inpatient discharges, emergency department visits and the cost of care provided to these patients.
Though the $121.8 million incurred represents the month of November 2024, future reports will include full quarterly data, THHSC said. The agency will release its first yearly report of data collected from hospital providers Jan. 1, 2026.
THHSC said that hospital providers inform patients that their immigration status responses do not affect their care, as required by federal law.
Texas, a border state, reported some of the highest crossing numbers ever recorded under the Biden administration, putting immense pressure on its healthcare system, Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, told Fox News Digital.
"Many of these illegal immigrants are straining the Texas hospital system, which is why Governor Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to begin assessing the cost of care," Mahaleris said.
"Now, Texas has reliable data on the dramatic financial impact that illegal immigration is having on our hospital system."
Mahaleris praised President Donald Trump's "swift action" in securing the southern border, noting that illegal crossings have dropped to record lows.
"Texas is hopeful that [Trump's] efforts to remove those who entered unlawfully may also cause these healthcare costs to decline."
Last week, the Texas House Committee on Public Health heard testimony about a bill by Fort Worth Republican Rep. Mike Olcott's that would make Abbott's executive order a law, Fox 26 Houston reported.
Meanwhile, the Texas Hospitals Association, the principal advocate for the state's hospitals and healthcare systems, said that the fact that hospitals are required to collect this data should not be a deterrent for people in need of care.
"With 24/7 life-saving care, hospitals are required by law to treat anyone who comes through the door, regardless of ability to pay, regardless of their demographics," the association said in a statement.
The fact that hospitals are required to collect this data should not be a deterrent for people in need of care. Hospitals remain open and ready to serve Texans' acute care needs."
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