In a surprising turn of events, Florida's Medicaid spending on migrants has dropped significantly by 54% this year, following Governor Ron DeSantis' pushback against illegal immigration. The decrease in spending has raised concerns among experts who believe that DeSantis' move to require individuals to disclose their immigration status at hospitals may be deterring them from seeking urgent medical care, resulting in a decline in Medicaid expenditure.

According to data obtained by Politico, in the previous fiscal year, Florida allocated $148.4 million of state and federal Medicaid funds for emergency care provided to migrants. However, as of May 3, only $67 million has been spent on the program, with approximately two months remaining in the fiscal year.

Governor DeSantis had signed Senate Bill 1718 last year, which mandated hospitals to inquire about patients' citizenship status and report these details to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. This legislation was part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration, including the verification of immigration status for employers with 25 or more workers.

The impact of this move on Medicaid spending for emergency coverage had been decreasing prior to the implementation of Senate Bill 1718. However, the drop witnessed currently is significantly steeper. The Florida AHCA was contacted for further information regarding the data, but no response has been received as yet.

To address the situation, Florida's upcoming fiscal year budget has allocated $557,882 to support the AHCA's program aimed at monitoring healthcare costs for illegal immigrants. In March, AHCA released a report estimating that hospitals had to bear approximately $566 million in healthcare payments during the latter half of 2023 for illegal immigrants.

Although Florida hospitals are allowed to request emergency Medicaid funds for migrants registered with the Department of Children and Families, the number of authorizations for such assistance has also witnessed a decline. From 147,000 authorizations in fiscal year 2022, it dropped to 116,000 in 2023, and more recently to 99,000 as of April 30, as per Politico's report. These migrants primarily consist of pregnant women and individuals in need of life-saving treatments.

As the debate surrounding immigration policies and healthcare access continues, the impact of Governor DeSantis' measures on both Medicaid spending and the well-being of migrants remains a topic of concern.