Texas Governor Greg Abbott has initiated an investigation into a hospital in Texas following its confirmation of an advertising campaign targeted at pregnant foreign nationals. The advertisement, found on billboards in Mexico, promoted childbirth services at the Mission Regional Medical Center near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The hospital conducted this marketing campaign by advertising delivery services priced at $3,950 for natural births and $5,525 for C-sections. These promotions directed viewers to a website, havemybabyinTEXAS.com, which has since been deactivated. Billboards included a contact number with the country code ‘001’ for calls from Mexico to the U.S.
The marketing materials regarding maternity services are no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding.
Abbott called for the investigation by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. He referred to potential breaches of state law and contract terms by the hospital.
Abbott emphasized his opposition to the practice of birth tourism. He expressed concern that foreign travelers exploit the hospitality offered by the U.S. to secure citizenship for their children through childbirth in the country.
During the next legislative session, Abbott plans to collaborate with lawmakers to enhance laws aimed at eliminating birth tourism in Texas. He stated that American citizenship is not something that could be commercialized and indicated that any legal violations would be handled by the Texas Attorney General and other legal authorities.
The Mission Regional Medical Center has shown willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. They expressed commitment to working with government officials while maintaining focus on delivering quality care to all patients.