Starting Saturday, most Florida hospitals will start collecting data on patients’ immigration status, bucking advice from clinicians who warn this could deter sick people from seeking care.
A new law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May, SB 1718, requires hospitals that accept Medicaid to inquire about immigration status on patient admission forms. The hospitals are required to then de-identify this data and submit quarterly reports to the Agency for Healthcare Administration, which will calculate Florida’s annual cost of uncompensated care for people who live in the state illegally.
Health care providers from across the state have spoken out against this law, arguing it may deter people here illegally from seeking care until a condition is life-threatening, ultimately increasing emergency room visits and health care costs for the state.
