Gov. Abbott orders Texas hospitals to gather information on healthcare costs incurred by migrants

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott just issued an executive order calling for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to start collecting information on the cost of healthcare incurred by migrants who entered the US illegally.

"HHSC will also be required to report annually to the Governor and Texas Legislature all inpatient and emergency care costs for illegal immigrants so the State of Texas can seek reimbursement from the federal government," a spokesperson for the governor's office explained Thursday.

HHSC will immediately start to direct hospitals to collect information by November 1, 2024 and to report to the governor and lieutenant governor by January 1, 2026.

“Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants," Abbott stated. "That is why today I issued an Executive Order requiring the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to collect and report healthcare costs for illegal immigrants in our state. Texas will hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable for the consequences of their open border policies, and we will fight to ensure that they pay back Texas for their costly and dangerous policies."