Florida’s Medicaid spending on migrants has seen a dramatic 54% decline so far this year, a direct result of Governor Ron DeSantis’ aggressive policies targeting illegal immigration.
According to data obtained by Politico, the previous fiscal year saw a substantial outlay of $148.4 million in combined state and federal Medicaid funds allocated towards emergency healthcare services for migrants.
However, as of May 3, with merely two months remaining in the current fiscal cycle, a mere $67 million has been disbursed through this program – a stark contrast to the preceding year’s figures.
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The catalyst behind this seismic shift can be traced back to Senate Bill 1718, a piece of legislation championed by Governor DeSantis and enacted into law last year. This bill mandated that hospitals receiving Medicaid reimbursements must inquire about patients’ citizenship status and report the breakdown of treated individuals’ immigration statuses to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).
While the legislation does not compel migrants to disclose their immigration status, its enactment formed part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration in Florida. Complementary measures included the implementation of employment verification protocols for businesses with 25 or more employees.
It is crucial to understand the role of Medicaid in this context. As a jointly funded state and federal program, Medicaid is designed to facilitate access to healthcare services for financially disadvantaged individuals. Distinct from Medicare, which caters to the elderly population, Medicaid’s emergency coverage extends to undocumented immigrants facing life-threatening medical emergencies or requiring critical treatments, such as prenatal care.
While the current fiscal year’s figures paint a stark picture, it is worth noting that Medicaid expenditure on emergency coverage for immigrants in Florida had been on a downward trajectory even before the enactment of Senate Bill 1718. However, the present decline far outpaces previous years’ reductions.
Further underscoring the impact of DeSantis’ policies, the number of emergency Medicaid authorizations granted by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has also plummeted. In the 2022 fiscal year, 147,000 such authorizations were issued, a figure that dwindled to 116,000 in 2023. As of April 30, merely 99,000 authorizations had been granted, suggesting a continued downward spiral.
Recognizing the significance of this issue, Florida’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year has earmarked $557,882 to bolster the AHCA’s efforts in monitoring healthcare expenditures related to undocumented immigrants. This allocation underscores the state’s commitment to closely tracking and managing these costs.
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In a report released in March, the AHCA estimated that Florida’s hospitals had shouldered approximately $566 million in healthcare payments for undocumented immigrants during the latter half of 2023 alone. This staggering figure highlights the financial strain placed on healthcare facilities in the absence of adequate reimbursement mechanisms.
To alleviate this burden, Florida hospitals are permitted to seek emergency Medicaid funds for treating undocumented migrants through the state’s Department of Children and Families. However, the declining number of authorizations granted by the DCF suggests that accessing these funds has become increasingly challenging.
Governor DeSantis’ administration has hailed the reduction in Medicaid spending as a testament to the efficacy of his immigration policies. However, critics and immigrant advocacy groups have voiced concerns that the new law may be deterring undocumented individuals from seeking essential medical care, potentially compromising public health and safety.
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Some observers have cautioned against attributing the spending decline solely to the new legislation, citing data indicating that expenditure on migrant emergency care had been decreasing since the 2022 fiscal year. Additionally, reports suggest an exodus of migrants from Florida, which could contribute to the reduced demand for emergency services.
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