Self-Pay Emergency Department Visits by Undocumented Patients After 2018 Public Charge Announcement
In this cohort study of ED encounters, likely undocumented patients had an increase of 2.10 (95% CI, 1.65-2.47) percentage points of self-pay for ED visits compared with US-born patients after the 2018 public charge announcement. This finding suggests how anti-immigrant policies can alter payment patterns, carrying implications for patient financial burden and safety-net hospital fiscal sustainability.
Authors
- Annie E. Ro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9684-5566)
- Todd W. Schneberk (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1642-2075)
- Anna Clare Gorman
- Sarah Axeen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1538-0013)
- Alein Haro-Ramos
Institutions
- University of Southern California (US)
- Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (US)
- Society for Public Health Education (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- JAMA Network Open
- Published
- 2026-01-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.55081
- Citations
- 1
- Primary Topic
- Migration, Health and Trauma
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 44.11