FLORIDA — Eighty health care providers across the state of Florida sent a letter to the Senate president and House Speaker to encourage them to vote against House Bill 1617 and Senate Bill 1718.

The bills require hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status.

What You Need To Know

  • Eighty health care providers across Florida sent a letter to the Senate president and House Speaker to encourage them to vote against House Bill 1617 and Senate Bill 1718

  • Both bills require hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status

  • Doctors who joined in on a press call with the Florida Policy Institute say this proposal violates their moral and ethical code

  • The bills also would require 320 hospitals receiving medicaid to submit quarterly reports to the state and Agency for Health Care Administration

“I volunteer at a local free clinic where we see a number of undocumented immigrants, mainly farmworkers. A man came in recently with an advance skin cancer near his eye, something that is going to be difficult to treat. He says he was afraid of having to reveal his immigration status,” said Dr. Brent Schillinger.

Schillinger is the former Chair of the Ethics Council of the Florida Medical Association and says we could hear more of these stories if hospitals are required to ask patients about their immigration status.

“We are already seeing a chilling effect with anti-immigration sentiments, especially with folks who are avoiding reproductive healthcare which is especially concerning because many women with low income, their OBGYN visits are their only regular visits to the doctor,” said National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice Advocate, Aurelie Colon Larrauri.

Doctors who joined in on a press call with the Florida Policy Institute say this proposal violates their moral and ethical code.

“As a doctor, I’ve taken an oath to provide care for all patients regardless of their background or their status.” said Internist Dr. Olveen Carrasquillo, MD.

The healthcare professionals say it would also create mistrust in the healthcare system.

“We already ask if patients have insurance, which immediately induces fear and suspicion. Asking about citizenship will only make this worse,” said Critical Care Nurse Kevin Cho Tipton.

If passed, medical professionals believe the legislation would deter sick patients from seeking care and jeopardize public health.

“When folks postpone treatment out of fear, they tend to show up only when there is a crisis — an emergency room at substantially higher costs,” said Dr. Schillinger.

He also said the bill would burden an already overtaxed healthcare system and lead to higher healthcare costs for all Floridians.

The bill would require 320 hospitals receiving medicaid to submit quarterly reports to the state and Agency for Health Care Administration.

The bill’s sponsor says the data collected would only be used to calculate how much the state spends treating undocumented immigrants.