By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – Alabama officials say the state is ready for a new federal law with the goal of reducing the number of illegal immigrants who are on Medicaid.
Beginning in July, Medicaid benefits will be denied to those who can't present documents as proof of citizenship.
But health policy experts say Alabama might have a large number of eligible poor people who are U.S. citizens but lack those needed documents. That's based on recent findings that blacks and those in rural areas are less likely to have those documents.
State Medicaid officials, meanwhile, say there's no way to tell how many illegal immigrants are receiving Alabama Medicaid.
They say there shouldn't be any because those who currently can't prove their citizenship are required to swear that they're citizens.
Other critics say they're worried the new requirements will ultimately backfire and hurt eligible Alabamians instead.