Texas hospitals are implementing a new policy requiring them to ask patients about their legal residency status, as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive aimed at tracking health care costs associated with undocumented immigrants. The information gathered will reportedly help Texas calculate expenses for patient care and seek reimbursement from the federal government.
Although patients have the option to decline answering, critics say the policy could discourage people from seeking necessary treatment.
Similar policies were introduced in Florida last year under Gov. Ron DeSantis, R, where immigrant advocates report that fears around disclosing status led some to avoid medical care.
Texas hospitals, which are not required to submit reports until March, have prepared by informing patients that any responses will not affect the level of care provided, as mandated by federal law.
The state’s reporting system will document visits from citizens, lawful residents and those not lawfully present in the U.S., without recording names or personal identifiers. Health care advocates are actively educating communities about their rights, seeking to alleviate concerns within immigrant communities who may feel hesitant to seek care.
