Know the Law

Starting on July 1, 2023 hospitals that accept Medicaid must ask patients their immigration status when they are admitted to the hospital or visit the Emergency Department. Specifically, hospital
forms will ask patients to indicate whether they are a U.S. citizen or are lawfully present in the U.S., or are not lawfully present in the U.S. Anyone—regardless of immigration status—may decline
to answer this question.

Hospitals must provide quarterly reports to the state of Florida specifying how many individuals visited their Emergency Department or were admitted to their hospital and provide aggregate statistics regarding how many people indicated that: (a) they are U.S. citizens or are lawfully present in the U.S.; (b) they are not lawfully present in the U.S.; or (c) declined to answer. These reports will not include any personally identifying information about patients.

Know your Rights

You can and should still seek medical care if you need it. This law does not give hospitals the right to deny care to anyone, no matter what their immigration status is. It also does not allow
hospitals to provide any information about patients to immigration authorities.

Protect Yourself

You do not have to provide hospitals with information about your immigration status. Anyone can decline to answer this question—whether you’re a citizen, undocumented or have a different immigration status. And your answer—or refusal to answer—cannot affect the medical care you receive.