New Florida Law Requires Hospitals to Check Immigration Status of Medicaid Patients

Starting July 1, hospitals in Florida that accept Medicaid are now required by law to ask patients about their immigration status. This mandate was introduced by SB 1718, an immigration bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in May, as reported by the Miami Herald.

Under the new law, hospital admission and registration forms must include a question asking whether the patient is legally in the United States. Furthermore, these forms must clearly state that patients' answers will not impact their medical care and that their immigration status will not be reported to the authorities.

To ensure compliance, hospitals must provide a quarterly report to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, which oversees hospitals in the state. This report will include information on the total number of hospital admissions and emergency room visits, categorizing them by U.S. citizens, undocumented individuals, and those who chose not to disclose their status.

Communicating with Non-English Speaking Patients as a Unit Secretary (Video)

Having patients who speak another language is common in areas such as California, Florida, New York, Texas, and other areas.

One thing is for sure. They get sick, too.

And what can you do to facilitate care for these non-English speaking patients?

• Know the telephone number so they can speak to a translator.
• If your hospital has a list of certified translators (Human Resources usually creates this list), know where and how to access it.
• Know how to use Apps if necessary.
• Sometimes, you call a family member to translate for the nurse/doctor.