Illegal-alien patients drain Texas hospitals, racking up billion-dollar bill — in less than a year

https://www.theblaze.com/news/illegal-alien-patients-drain-texas-hospitals-racking-up-billion-dollar-bill-in-less-than-a-year

And the total cost tipped over the billion-dollar mark: $1,050,642,864. 

The year-end totals show that the burden is not only on one type of care either. 

A large portion of the visits come from the "Emergency Department - Non-Medicaid/Non-CHIP" category, though the lion's share of the cost comes from the "Inpatient Discharges - Non-Medicaid/Non-CHIP" category, meaning that the hospital system is being burdened by illegal aliens seeking both emergency and long-term care. 

This data was collected and released pursuant to an executive order signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in August 2024. The order directed hospitals to begin collecting data on illegal alien patients in Texas hospitals beginning in November 2024. 

As Texas Scorecard noted, these numbers are therefore not reflective of the full fiscal year, and the actual totals very likely exceed these figures. 

Abbott argued in the executive order that Texans ultimately bear the burden of public financial support through higher taxes and more expensive medical care as well.