(WHTM) — A bill proposed in the State House would require hospitals to report the costs associated with health care provided to “illegal migrants” in Pennsylvania.

House Bill 1661, proposed by Rep. Brian Rasel (R-Westmoreland), would require Pennsylvania hospitals to submit an annual report to the Department of Health (DOH) detailing the number of “hospital admissions and emergency department visits made by illegal migrants within the previous calendar year.”

The bill proposes that the department would then be required to post a summary report on its website each year. The report would depict the “information relating to the costs of uncompensated care for illegal migrants, 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.”

In a co-sponsorship memo, Rep. Rasel asserts that hospitals can report costs incurred from uncompensated care to the DOH if they wish to be remunerated through the Hospital Uncompensated Care Program, but these costs can apply to any patient who is unable or unwilling to pay for care, regardless of immigration status.

The memo says the transparency is essential to “ensure Medicaid dollars are not used on undocumented immigrants at the expense of our seniors and those in need.”

It is important to note that under current federal law, illegal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and only some lawfully present immigrants qualify, subject to eligibility restrictions. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that illegal immigrants can only receive “Emergency Medicaid” for life-threatening conditions, such as childbirth or trauma care.

The KFF says Emergency Medicaid spending “reimburses hospitals for emergency care they are obligated to provide to individuals who meet other Medicaid eligibility requirements (such as income) but who do not have an eligible immigration status, including undocumented immigrants and lawfully present immigrants who remain ineligible for Medicaid or CHIP.” Emergency Medicaid spending makes up less than 1% of total Medicaid spending in the U.S., per the KFF.

The bill was referred to the Health Committee of the Pennsylvania State House on June 25.