To kick off the holiday season, Greg Abbott gave all Texans a crappy gift that, unfortunately, we can’t return.
The governor recently issued an executive order that compels staff at Texas public hospitals to ask every patient what their citizenship status is, which goes against the state’s previous guidance that discourages health-care workers from inquiring about that. The cost of treating people who are undocumented will also be tracked.
What. A. Dick.
The good news is that, though this question must be asked, patients can decline to answer it, and the quality of health care isn’t dependent on the citizenship question. But just because it shouldn’t influence the level of care received doesn’t mean it won’t. Abbott’s order ensures that those who need care in Texas — whether they’re immigrants or just look the part — may delay getting it. People of color are sometimes wary of visiting doctor’s offices because they worry about being discriminated against or insulted by health-care workers because of their race. Those who are undocumented in Texas may forgo care if they are fearful of being harassed or facing legal troubles because of their citizenship status.
Abbott’s reasoning for the order has to do with his ongoing dispute with the Biden administration over border policies, which in some cases were better or similar to Biden’s predecessor (and now successor), Donald Trump. As usual, immigrants without documentation are used as scapegoats by Abbott.
“Due to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ open border policies, Texas has had to foot the bill for medical costs for individuals illegally in the state,” Abbott said in a press release. “Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants.”
What Abbott is leaving out here is that The Texas Tribune says immigrants without documentation who don’t have health insurance use hospitals less than American citizens who are uninsured. And if Abbott wants more money from the federal government, he could already have that by expanding Medicaid across our state and insuring more than a million Texans.
Plus, if Abbott is really concerned about cost of care, he would make sure that the uninsured and Medicaid users have as much access as possible to preventative care, which is typically cheaper than treating advanced conditions. Abbott’s order may mean that immigrants will seek care less often and focus solely on treating conditions as they arise, not working to prevent them.
The Republican platform has emphasized “protection” during this last election cycle — protecting women from transgender people in bathrooms, protecting children from gay teachers, and protecting white Americans from the scary immigrants who want to eat their cats and dogs for dinner. When they use this verbiage, ask yourself — which people do they want to protect? Certainly not undocumented women and children seeking care at hospitals.
Basically, Abbott’s order sends a clear message to those without citizenship: “You are not welcome here.”
Wonder what he would have said to a certain refugee and immigrant born in a barn in Bethlehem.
