SB 1268
Initials AG/BG Page 1 Health & Human Services
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
Senate: MABS DP 4-3-0-0 | 3rd Read 17-12-1-0
SB 1268: hospitals; patient immigration status; reporting
Sponsor: Senator Rogers, LD 7
Committee on Health & Human Services
Overview
Requires a hospital that accepts payment from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment
System (AHCCCS) to include a place on its patient admission or registration forms to state
or indicate whether the patient is lawfully or unlawfully present in the United States (U.S.)
or is a U.S. citizen. Establishes quarterly reporting requirements for the Arizona Department
of Health Services (DHS).
History
For information that is received and kept by DHS is available to the public except for
information that: 1) is obtained for the review of health care utilization or certain health care
practices; 2) is medical information or any information from which a patient or the patient's
family might be identified; 3) is personally identifiable information of a physician that is
received and any records kept regarding the physician's admitting privileges; or 4) may cause
DHS to believe that an inspection of an institution is needed to determine the extent of
compliance.
DHS may release information listed to an officer of the court pursuant to a court order, a
department or agency of this state or the federal government, a law enforcement agency or a
county medical examiner if the release of this information is necessary and pertinent to an
investigation or proceeding unless the release of this information is prohibited by federal or
state law. The recipient shall maintain patient and source name confidentiality (A.R.S. § 36-
404).
Provisions
1. Requires each hospital that accepts AHCCCS to include a place on its admission or
registration form for a patient, or the patient's representative, to state or indicate whether
the patient is:
a) a U.S. citizen; or
b) is lawfully or not lawfully present in the U.S. (Sec. 1)
2. Requires the inquiry to be followed by a statement on the form that the patient's response
will not affect the patient's care or result in a report of the patient's immigration status
to immigration authorities. (Sec. 1)
3. Directs each hospital to submit a quarterly report to DHS within 30 days after the end of
each calendar quarter that states the number of hospital admissions or emergency
department visits within the previous quarter made by a patient who indicated whether
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note SB 1268
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the patient is a U.S. citizen, is lawfully or unlawfully present in the U.S. or declined to
answer. (Sec. 1).
4. Requires DHS annually on March 1, to submit a report to the Governor, President of the
Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives that:
a) includes the total number of hospital admissions and emergency department visits for
the previous calendar year for which the patient or patient's representative reported
that the patient is a U.S. citizen, is lawfully or not lawfully present in the U.S. or
declined to answer the question; and
b) describes information relating to the costs of uncompensated care for aliens who are
not lawfully present in the U.S., the impact of uncompensated care on the cost or
ability of hospitals to provide services to the public, hospital funding needs and other
related information. (Sec. 1)
5. Directs DHS to provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State. (Sec. 1)
6. Allows DHS to adopt rules relating to the format and information to be contained in the
quarterly reports and the acceptable formats for hospitals to use in requesting
information regarding a patient's immigration status on hospital admission or
registration forms. (Sec. 1)
7. Prohibits DHS rules from requiring the disclosure of patient names or any other personal
identifying information. (Sec. 1)