DeSantis Cuts Florida Medicaid Spending on Undocumented Immigrants by 54% Under New Law

Jun 23, 2024, 07:16 PM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has implemented significant policy changes that have led to a substantial reduction in Medicaid spending on undocumented immigrants. Since the enactment of a new law, hospitals in Florida are now required to ask about immigration status, resulting in a 54% decrease in expenditures billed to Medicaid under the Emergency Medical Assistance program for undocumented immigrants, with less than two months remaining in the fiscal year. However, a whistleblower lawsuit has emerged, with former FDLE Chief of Staff Shane Desguin alleging that DeSantis ordered illegal surveillance of immigrants and ignored concerns that relocating them from Texas to another state could be considered kidnapping.