Legislator objects to state-paid prenatal care for illegals
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
A state legislator is speaking out against providing care to pregnant women who are illegal immigrants.
State Senator Kim Hendren wants Medicaid officials to notify immigration authorities if a patient is here without official permission.
Medicaid pays for three-quarters of the prenatal care program`s cost in Arkansas and the state`s share of funding for illegal immigrants is expected to cost more than 600-thousand dollars in the coming year.
State Medicaid Director Roy Jeffus said after meeting with legislators that medical privacy laws may prevent the state from sharing information about patients with federal immigration
authorities.
