Financial Stress from Migrant Crisis Threatens to ‘Break’ Denver Hospital System, CEO Says

A hospital system in Denver warned local lawmakers this week that it is on the brink of collapse due to financial pressures created by the migrant crisis. 

Denver Health recorded some 20,000 visits from 8,000 Central American migrants in 2023 for everything from dental emergencies to mental health counseling, according to the Denver Post.

Denver estimates more than 36,000 illegal immigrants, most of whom are Venezuelan, have arrived in the city since December 2022. Roughly half of those migrants have decided to put down roots in the city.

The influx created a $2 million loss for the hospital system last year, following a $35 million loss the year before. The system’s saving grace in 2023 was a $20 million boost it received from the state, Kaiser Permanente Colorado, and private donors, the Denver Post reported.

Last year’s losses led the hospital to close 15 beds that would otherwise be used for patients needing psychiatric or addiction treatment and to reduce raises and postpone renovations.