Governor Ron DeSantis’ crackdown on illegal immigrants appears to be paying off in several ways, according to a recent report. The governor’s multifaceted efforts to curb illegal immigration in Florida have resulted in a significant reduction in taxpayer funds used to provide health care for people living in the country illegally.
The governor signed a law last year requiring hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients about their legal immigration status when they treat them. The law does not require patients to answer the question, but immigrant rights groups argued that doing so would prevent them from seeking state-funded medical care. Still, supporters of the law Law argue that the numbers show that it is a success:
Florida’s Emergency Medical Assistance for Illegal Immigrants program has seen a 54 percent drop in Medicaid spending this year — with less than two months left in the fiscal year — since the state’s immigration law took effect, according to a POLITICO analysis. Thomas Kennedy of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said while there is no concrete evidence that the drop in Medicaid spending is a result of the law, which takes effect in July 2023, there are other signs of impact.
“Obviously there was some kind of exodus of migrants in Florida,” Kennedy said. “When all this happened – we had warned about the increased workload[force] Shortages and distressed industries – we said this would be a bad idea.”
Under federal law, illegal immigrants are ineligible for Medicaid even if they meet other requirements. But federal law also requires states to approve restricted Medicaid coverage for immigrants who are experiencing a medical emergency, such as dialysis, a pregnant woman giving birth, or trauma.
Data shows that about $148.4 million in state and federal Medicaid funds went to emergency care for illegal immigrants in the Sunshine State before the fresh law took effect. Only about $67 million has been allocated for illegal immigrants in May 2024, and there are only two months left in the fiscal year.
Leonardo Cuello, a research professor at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy, pointed out that much of the spending is on women in labor and argued the law would have “terrible long-term consequences for Florida.”
However, DeSantis’ office instructed Politico to a statement by Alecia Collins, a spokeswoman for the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, who said that while Medicaid is intended for American citizens, “those with medical needs will continue to receive care in a hospital.”
Collins also pointed out that Medicaid spending is not the only problem caused by illegal immigrants using services intended for Americans. She pointed to a March report that showed hospitals had to cover $566 million in medical bills for services used by illegal immigrants.
“By shedding light on the true costs of illegal immigration, we hope to raise awareness among the citizens of Florida and the United States as a whole,” she wrote.
DeSantis and other Republicans in Florida have repeatedly criticized the impact of illegal immigration on the health care system and pointed out how many illegal immigrants take advantage of the country’s social programs.
Since this is a developing story, RedState will share more details as they become available.
