JULY 8, 2026
Texas Governor Orders Investigation of Hospital That Advertised Birth Packages in Mexico
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission on Tuesday to investigate Mission Regional Medical Center after the hospital confirmed it had advertised Spanish-language "birth packages" on billboards in Mexico. The campaign promoted deliveries starting at $3,950 for a natural birth and $5,525 for a C-section and directed viewers to the website havemybabyinTEXAS.com, which has since been taken offline. The hospital removed both billboards and the website Monday after images circulated on social media.
Mission Regional Medical Center, located near the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas, confirmed to Fox News that it operated the billboard campaign, which also included an English-language version and directed viewers to a website with a U.S. country code telephone number. The hospital said the campaign began in 2021 but did not specify when the billboards were installed or how long they had been active.
In a July 7 letter obtained by Fox News, Abbott directed HHSC Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth to "immediately and thoroughly investigate" the hospital for potential violations of state law and contractual obligations. Abbott stated that any violations should be referred to the Texas Attorney General for civil enforcement and to the appropriate district or county attorney for potential criminal prosecution.
The hospital issued a statement saying the marketing materials were "no longer in use due to any unintended misunderstanding" and that it does "not support or facilitate any unlawful activity." The hospital also said it intends to cooperate with state officials and that its "focus remains on delivering safe, high-quality care to every patient."