- A Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) report reveals that illegal immigrants cost the state's healthcare system $659.9 million in 2024, largely due to uncompensated care, up from $566 million in 2023. This represents 0.76 percent of Florida's total healthcare costs.
- The report relies on voluntary disclosure of immigration status, but many patients decline to answer. For example, 96 percent of emergency department patients at Flagler Hospital did not disclose their status, leading to potential underreporting of costs.
- Miami-Dade County had the highest percentage of hospital visits by self-reported illegal immigrants (2.34 percent) and the highest estimated expenses ($282.2 million). Other counties with significant costs include Broward, Hillsborough, Orange and Lee.
- The report was mandated by SB 1718, a law signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2023 to address illegal immigration. It includes measures like E-Verify for employers, penalties for transporting illegals and restrictions on public benefits, including healthcare.
- Despite SB 1718, illegals continue to strain Florida's healthcare system. State Rep. Randy Fine, a co-sponsor of the legislation, criticized the costs as a burden on taxpayers, calling it "half a billion dollars stolen from real Floridians."
A report by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has revealed that illegal immigrants are a $659.9 million "burden" on the healthcare system of the state.
According to the report, titled the "Hospital Patient Immigration Status Report," the care provided to illegals at Florida hospitals is "largely uncompensated," meaning the costs are not reimbursed, and is a "direct contributor to the strain on Florida's healthcare system." (Related: SBA to cut off taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants and remove offices from sanctuary cities.)
For 2024, the state estimates $659.9 million was spent on care for illegal immigrants, up from the $566 million for just seven months of data in 2023. The data is based on patients voluntarily disclosing their immigration status, which many decline to do.
For example, at Tampa General Hospital Spring Hill, 63.4 percent of emergency department patients declined to answer the citizenship question in the first quarter of 2024. At Flagler Hospital in St. Johns County, 96 percent of 36,800 emergency department patients did not disclose their status.
The report estimates that 93,844 hospital admissions and emergency room visits in 2024 were by patients who self-reported being their undocumented status, representing 0.76 percent of the state's total healthcare costs. Applying this percentage to Florida's $77.3 billion total cost of care results in the $659.9 million figure.
Miami-Dade County had the highest percentage of hospital visits by self-reported undocumented immigrants at 2.34 percent, followed by Lee County (1.61 percent) and Manatee County (1.56 percent). The counties with the largest estimated expenses were Miami-Dade ($282.2 million), Broward ($77 million), Hillsborough ($64.4 million), Orange ($37.8 million) and Lee ($37.4 million).
The report also highlights inconsistencies in data collection. For instance, 67,700 emergency room visits were attributed to illegals, but many hospitals reported high rates of patients declining to answer the citizenship question.
Illegals still burden the state healthcare system despite passage of SB 1718
The report was required under Senate Bill 1718, which was signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in May 2023.
A key component of the law requires employers to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the immigration status of their workers. Businesses that fail to comply face fines of up to $1,000 per day, with additional penalties including the suspension of business licenses.
The law also criminalizes the transportation of illegal aliens across state lines and invalidates out-of-state driver's licenses issued to migrants, preventing their use for identification in Florida. Additionally, SB 1718 restricts access to certain public services and benefits for these illegal immigrants, including healthcare.
SB 1718, which took effect on July 1, 2023, was introduced in response to concerns over illegal immigration and perceived gaps in federal border enforcement.
However, illegal immigrants still "burden" the state. State Rep. Randy Fine (R-Melbourne), who co-sponsored the legislation requiring hospitals to track this data, previously claimed that $500 million had been spent on healthcare for "people who should not be in the United States." He added: "That's half a billion dollars stolen from real Floridians."
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