TAMPA, FL — One of Florida’s toughest anti-immigrant bills passed the Florida Senate by a vote of 83 to 36. Many health experts say Senate Bill 1718 may deter immigrants from seeking medical care in the state.
Dr. Jared Vazquez recalled when he wanted to be a doctor and said that helping people was always second nature.
“When I was little, we used to do these health cares with my dad,” he said.
After learning from his father, owning his own healthcare office is a dream come true for Vasquez, he says.
A native of Puerto Rico, he says being a Latino in the profession allows him to connect with patients in their language and make them feel comfortable.
“In any clinic system, there will always be a percentage of people who are in the process of immigration or naturalization and acquiring U.S. citizenship, so I would say about 5% to 8%,” he said.
Vazquez said about 80% of his patients pay cash and the remaining 20% use Medicaid.
Over the past year, Vazquez said his clinic has helped people regardless of immigration status. This, he says, has helped build trust in the communities he serves.
But he fears that will decrease after Senate Bill 1718 was recently passed.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Blaise Ingoglia, would require private companies with 25 or more employees to use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of new hires. Otherwise, you will be fined.
It also prohibits Florida from recognizing driver licenses issued exclusively to illegal immigrants.
For providers that accept Medicaid, data must be collected on patient citizenship status.
After the vote, Ingoglia issued a statement thanking its representatives for helping pass the bill.
“Today, the Florida House and Senate made history by passing the strongest state-led anti-illegal immigration bill aimed at combating the growing border crisis,” he said.
As a health care provider, Vazquez said he has pledged to help people, and believes the bill will hurt what all health care providers are doing for their communities.
“If they don’t have the outlet or the means to get treatment, they will get sick,” he said. “It creates a public health problem. Do I need vaccinations? We can take care of you while you sort out your immigration status. ”
Vazquez said the scenario of someone abandoning treatment as a result of Senate Bill 1718 is one of his biggest concerns.