New program protects cities from paying hefty inmate medical bills
Like all other people who are temporarily in the city of circle or prisons may have health problems, such as cancer, diabetes and kidney failure.
Over situations sometimes arise from captivity. Georgia occupants had their broken jaw, eyes, and has launched with pencils in prison, and fights.
Regardless of his medical issues, the prisoners and their health is a responsibility of government. In most cases, taxpayers pay the medical bills.
No wonder, therefore, many Georgia cities are entering a new insurance program provides protection against catastrophic medical bills for the occupants.
The program of the Association of Municipalities of Georgia, has been introduced in more than 300 cities this month.
Cities are for the payment of a maximum of $ 10000 per year per inmate. In addition, the policy covers up to $ 250000 per passenger for each period of detention, “said Amy Henderson, a spokesman for the municipal association. The premium is already protected by the cities of accession to the existing municipal insurance pool.
A similar policy for the region were detained for several years to land by the circle of the Association of Governments County Commissioners of Georgia.
The policy for cities, made available by the Correctional Risk Services Inc., Brentwood, Tennessee, the ambulatory surgery, hospital stay, the doctor diagnosed taxes and services. Complaints are covered chest pain, and myocardial infarction, renal failure, or an inflammation of the intestine blind, and even causing physical or the continued fighting in the prison.
In addition to insurance, the program is, among other things, monitoring of medical bills, accuracy and save group discounts, “said Steve Kreal, President of Risk Correctional Services. The company said it, most municipalities to save more than 25 percent on medical bills.
“All we are trying to do, outside of medical expenses for inmates and an insurance policy, the budget for the town is not now,” he said.
More than 30 cities have evolved since the insurance was taken this month in the provision, after the municipal elections of the association.
For cities like Sandy Springs, the protection is not clear.
The city of 90000 people do not yet have its own prison. People are out arrests Dora Villeneuve either the city or a prison Landkreis blockages and Irwin County. But the city is still responsible for its occupants. And their medical bills were the past two years.
Sandy Springs taxpayer pays more than $ 60000 for medical care in the prison population accounts for the year twice as high as last year, the amount paid.
“For us, this is a great thing,” said Steve Rapson, Assistant City Manager.
In Athens, the combination Counties / City Government is interested in membership, “said director Alan Reddish.
One factor as the city officials was whether the insurance covers prisoners arrested man, but not yet a prison.
A few years ago, Reddish said, the police arrested at Athens someone who claims to have swallowed several bags of cocaine. After him a local hospital, the police said that it is not true. But the man had swallowed the medicine, its spending on the local hospital had fallen taxpayers, and would probably have exceeded $ 10000, Reddish said.
“Sometimes the arrest of the man, when there is a continued hunting, or a fight”, which give, gets hurt, “said Ruddy.” If the person is violated, we will be able to go at the hospital. ”
County jails are generally more important as a city Lockups and keep on board most of the heavy loads. In Fulton County, for example, the County Jail, in people who have been committed the crime. Even more than the cities, counties were at the receiving end of the rising costs of medical care for the prison population, “said Jerry Griffin, director of the Association County Commissioners of Georgia.
A challenge for the counties, cities and now is responsible for budget planning, according inmate cost of medical care. Without insurance, the bills can be unpredictable, “said Griffin. Most detainees are not covered by personal insurance, he said.
Counties with the assurance that their association has been reimbursed for unexpected disasters, including attempted suicide and injuries, who fights out of the prison.
“We have a long gestation period, a sort of health coverage or worse for prisoners,” he said. “The problem is, there is one thing unpredictability of nature, let’s face it, human nature, until the end of the detention, have failed, the best kind of lifestyle.”