Montgomery County, Texas Hospitals Cease Services For Illegal Immigrants To Comply With Attorney General Opinion

Facing potential criminal prosecution, the Montgomery County, Texas, Hospital District has eliminated nonemergency care services to illegal immigrants, the Houston Chronicle reports (Rice, Houston Chronicle, 8/7). In early July, Texas Attorney General John Cornyn (R) issued a legal opinion that said the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (national welfare reform) prohibits public hospitals from providing health services -- except emergency room care, immunizations, treatment of communicable diseases and care for child abuse -- to illegal immigrants (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 7/31). Despite "strong opposition" to Cornyn's opinion, the hospital board "reluctantly" cut services. Hospital District Trustee Nicol Huff said, "Our lawyers advised us that if we do provide care, we could be prosecuted. Legally, we will do everything we can to change it." She added she had spoken with U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) about changing the law cited in Cornyn's opinion. With the decision to halt services, the number of patients in the hospital district's indigent care program dropped by 420, to about 2,000. David Layton, the hospital district's chief operating officer, said, "This is a human tragedy that we can't take care of our neighbors any better than this. They pay all the taxes we pay, sales taxes and property taxes if they rent. These are real human beings, and they need help." In Harris County, District Attorney General Chuck Rosenthal has launched a criminal investigation of that county's hospital district for continuing to provide care in spite of the legal opinion (Rice, Houston Chronicle 8/7). For further information on state health policy in Texas, visit State Health Facts Online.