Steve Cortes, president of the League of American Workers, said Arizona hospitals near the border are covering significant uncompensated care costs tied to undocumented entrants following the veto of legislation that would have required facilities receiving state funding through AHCCCS to report patient citizenship.
The issue has drawn attention as hospitals statewide reported $539.5 million in uncompensated care for the 2023 fiscal year, up from $505.8 million the previous year, according to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System. Border-area hospitals face disproportionately high costs from emergency services provided to non-paying patients crossing the southern border, with the financial burden ultimately affecting working families and businesses through higher insurance rates and state budget allocations.
“In Arizona, border hospitals are crushed under $539 million in uncompensated care from illegals pouring across our open border… That’s not governance — that’s dereliction, as Katie Hobbs vetoes basic transparency to hide the massive taxpayer costs of this foreign invasion… While working class Arizonans pay the bills, the political class protects the scam,” Cortes said according to The Grand Canyon Times.
The Grand Canyon Times reported on Sen. Wendy Rogers’ comments regarding Governor Hobbs’ veto of SB1051, a bill designed to improve transparency in hospital patient data. The bill would have required hospitals to submit quarterly data on admissions and emergency visits by citizenship status along with uncompensated care costs for non-citizens, allowing state officials and the public to assess fiscal impacts on Arizona’s healthcare system from border-related activity.
Local media reported that Yuma Regional Medical Center recorded nearly $26 million in uncompensated care for migrant patients over a 12-month period. Hospital administrators noted that federal law requires treatment regardless of payment ability or immigration status, resulting in no reimbursement for many cases. Other border facilities face similar challenges, diverting resources from local patients and contributing to operational strain, according to state healthcare financing reviews.
Analyses indicate Arizona has sought nearly $599 million to cover costs associated with undocumented immigration—including uncompensated medical care at hospitals and clinics—as well as other public programs supporting border operations. Other border states experience similar patterns with public resources funding emergency treatment for non-citizens without reimbursement, according to the Denver Gazette.
