By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services
Key Points:
- Arizona state Senate approves measure requiring hospitals to ask patients about immigration status
- Senator Wendy Rogers’ bill makes answering the question optional
- Opponents argue the bill may deter undocumented immigrants from seeking medical care
Saying the public deserves to know, the state Senate has approved a measure requiring hospitals that receive public money to ask patients whether they are in the country legally.
Strictly speaking, the proposal by Sen. Wendy Rogers, approved on a 16-13 party-line vote, would not deny care to anyone. The Flagstaff Republican said her SB1051 makes answering the question on the patient admission form optional.
There would be a statement on the form saying that the answer will not affect the patient’s care and that the response will not be reported to immigration authorities.
That provision did not impress Sen. Analise Ortiz.
“Right now we know that no personal information is safe from being given over to ICE who is killing people in the streets, including United States citizens,” said the Phoenix Democrat.
Federal Medicaid officials already have agreed to provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement with information about the identity and location of “aliens” in this country. And ICE is accessing data from the IRS and the Social Security Administration.
But whether risk exists or not, Democrats contend that simply asking the question could lead people to avoid necessary medical care.
