Florida’s hospitals are facing a significant financial burden due to unpaid care for migrants, as revealed in reports under a new law passed by the state. In 2024 alone, hospitals in Florida have lost a staggering $566 million, with taxpayers bearing much of this cost.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1718 in May 2023, which requires healthcare providers to identify patients’ legal citizenship status. The aim is to determine the impact of providing care to illegal immigrants who are unable to pay for their treatment.
Since the implementation of the law, hospitals have started reporting their losses to the state. For instance, Manatee Memorial Hospital reported a spending of $21.2 million in 2023 on uninsured care costs, primarily for illegal immigrants, compared to $14.4 million in 2021.
The state’s overall expenditure on care for illegal immigrants has increased significantly, reaching over $566 million by 2024. Other counties like Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, and Miami-Dade have also incurred substantial losses due to unpaid medical expenses for illegal immigrants.
This issue is not unique to Florida, as other states like Arizona, Texas, and Illinois have also been facing similar challenges with providing healthcare to illegal immigrants. The federal government has been contributing billions of dollars towards this cause, further adding to the financial burden on taxpayers.
Former President Donald Trump briefly halted these expenditures, but President Joe Biden has resumed funding for healthcare for illegal immigrants. The costs continue to rise, with reports indicating that illegal immigration is costing the nation’s hospital systems at least $23 billion annually, with a significant portion going towards uncompensated medical care for illegal aliens.
