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FLORIDA - Florida's healthcare system incurred nearly $660 million in costs for treating undocumented immigrants in 2024, with state officials citing the financial burden on taxpayers while critics argue the policy may deter essential medical care.
Newly released data from Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) highlights the significant financial burden of providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants in the state.
According to AHCA’s updated Hospital Patient Immigration Status Dashboard, Florida hospitals incurred approximately $660 million in costs related to medical care for individuals who are not lawfully present in the U.S. in 2024.
The report shows that 67,700 emergency room visits were linked to undocumented patients, leading to roughly $76.6 million in Medicaid payments for emergency services.
Certain counties shouldered the largest portion of the costs associated with treating undocumented individuals:
- Miami-Dade County – $282 million
- Broward County – $77 million
- Hillsborough County (Tampa area) – $64 million
- Orange County (Orlando area) – $38 million
- Duval County (Jacksonville area) – $34 million
Some regions, particularly those in Florida’s Big Bend area, did not report costs due to the absence of hospitals in those counties.
A key factor in the data collection process involved a citizenship question included in hospital intake forms at facilities accepting Medicaid, a requirement enacted through a 2024 law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis as part of efforts to track the financial impact of illegal immigration.
While patients are not required to answer, many reportedly declined to provide their immigration status.
At Tampa General Hospital-Spring Hill, nearly two-thirds of ER patients chose not to respond during the first quarter of 2024.
Similarly, Flagler Hospital near St. Augustine saw 96% of its 36,000 ER patients opt out of answering.
The AHCA intends to continue tracking healthcare expenditures related to undocumented immigrants and release additional reports to inform future policy decisions affecting the state’s healthcare funding.