Texas taxpayers paid nearly $122 million to provide Healthcare to illegal migrants in November alone, says the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).
The Texas HSHC is reporting that the costs to the state for health care for illegal migrants has topped $121.8 million in unpaid care in just the month of November alone. And that estimate is probably low.
In its report, the HHSC reported that non-citizens utilized hospitals in the Lone Star State more than 31,000 time during November of last year.
The data was taken from the state’s new reporting requirements mandated by an executive order that went into effect last August.
“The executive order directs Texas hospitals to provide HHSC quarterly reports on patients who are not lawfully present in the U.S.,” the report noted, “including the number of inpatient discharges, emergency department visits, and the cost of care provided to these patients.”
However, the estimate of expenses is probably low because the data is predicated on the number of patients who answer questions about their immigration status on hospital intake forms and some migrants won’t answer the questions.
Still, this is the first report of its kind in Texas and if every month is similar going forward, the yearly total would approach $1.46 billion per year.
This is an incredible cost to Texans.
— Texans for Strong Borders (@StrongBordersTX) April 25, 2025
$121.8 MILLION in a single month. That works out to over $1.46B per year, and that’s likely an undercount due to some patients refusing to answer whether or not they are here unlawfully. https://t.co/ZihNpKzPuP
The reporting requirements are similar to a law in Florida mandating that hospitals report the number of uninsured migrants they see each month.
One recent report in Florida found that illegal migrants had cost the state $660 million in unpaid medical bills incurred by migrants.
When he signed his executive order last August, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said, “Texans should NOT have to foot the bill for illegal immigrants healthcare.”
Texans should NOT have to foot the bill for illegal immigrants healthcare.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 8, 2024
I issued an Executive Order directing HHSC to collect & report healthcare costs for illegal immigrants.
We’ll fight to ensure the Biden-Harris Admin pays back Texas for their costly open border policies. pic.twitter.com/NRHzXiJ1VH
Despite the reporting requirements in both Florida and Texas, no migrant is refused medical services.
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