Jail EMS

Who should pay for a jail inmate's medical expenses?

  • Arresting Agency

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Inmate

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Jail

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • State

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
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ffemt8978

ffemt8978

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Just curious as to what everyone's opinions are on this.
 
I would say to bill the inmate's insurance first (Ha - good joke) then bill the arresting agency, unless the jail has a contract to "care for all the inmates needs" - in other words - if the municipality is already paying the jail to care for the inmates, then charge the jail. If the municipatity isn't paying the jail to provide care to the inmate, then it goes to the arresting municipality.

My $0.02

Jon
 
My husband is a deputy for our county and he works in the jail. He just told me that the jail pays for EMS, unless it's a pre-existing condition and the inmate has insurance.



I still think the inmate should pay for it.
 
Well, typically, how it works around here is that the arresting agency either has a temporary holding facility or contracts with a neighboring department that has one where persons in custody are detained for less than a day. They're then transferred to the custody of the LA County Sheriff's department who transports them to one of their jails and transports them back and forth to court hearings. Anyone sentenced to terms of 1 year or less serve their time in one of these jails as well. If the sentence is over a year, the inmate is transferred to the state DOC.

I believe LASD has their own on-site EMS at their jails, including transport. They also run the jail ward at County/USC hospital, so they can transfer injured/ill inmates there.

As far as the temporary holding facilities go, I'd expect the arresting/detaining agency would be responsible for the cost. Not really sure how it works since our PD doesn't have their own holding facility and contracts with Pasadena PD. Since said agency has legal custody of the inmate/perp/whatever you want to call him/her, they're responsible for their care (I've been told an arresting officer can even sign AMA on a person in custody).
 
I think the inmate should definitely pay for it... Heck we have to pay for ourselves, why should they be so lucky?? The Rich and Famous don't pay for the Middle or Lower Class citizens!!

:huh:
 
How can we make an inmate pay for their own medical care when they are serving 10-20yr, life or death sentences? Where are they getting hundreds or thousands of dollars at while sitting in a jail cell all day long?

Unfortunately the tax payers would pick up the bill?
 
They still have bank accounts whether in jail or not...at least they do here and family to take care of the logistics, etc... It's no different than charging a normal civilian with a medical bill. Just a different billing address :lol:
 
Originally posted by Wingnut@Feb 10 2005, 04:20 PM
They still have bank accounts whether in jail or not...at least they do here and family to take care of the logistics, etc... It's no different than charging a normal civilian with a medical bill. Just a different billing address :lol:
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Send in care of The Big House!! :lol:
 
LOL Exactly!!
 
The patient should pay... but probably doesn't have insurence. Therefore... state pays. Be it Medicaid, or the facility, The state is still paying.
 
I say we dont give them medical care, it will save money on food in the long run. :lol:
 
We are lucky enough to have the county jail in our call district. The calls usually come in at 2 or 3 am for chest pain. Good thing for us the hospital is right across the street, so we never have a long transport time. I hate dealing with inmates. I do think the inmates should have to pay for their own medical expenses, but like it has been said most of them don't have insurance and it will get covered by "someone else".
 
Who should pay....lol.... lets see if there in jail we are paying for there room ,food and medical....we get to pay for there tv's radio's play toys.... what what a question... the public pays for there medical bills... so the next time you pay taxes at walmart not only do you get the buy the gov. dinner... for your state but you also get to support our people in orange
 
they are indigent and wards of the state when incarcerated. The jail/county should pay, its a neccessary evil. If they have assets, the agency should have the opportunity to sieze them to recoup their costs, but since they have no means of income and often times the real medivcla issues are a result of the jail/prisons negligence, often in their lack of administering medications as prescribed.
 
Originally posted by shorthairedpunk@Feb 21 2005, 09:19 PM
often times the real medical issues are a result of the jail/prisons negligence, often in their lack of administering medications as prescribed.
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good point - hadn't thought of that.

but does that mean the nursing homes need to pay for bedsore care?


Jon
 
I'm sorry to take this thread somewhat off topic, but if the city/county/state feels that they should incarcerate they should pay to house them, feed them and take care of their medical needs. Of course this is done through taxes, but they shouldn't say, "You're going to jail and you have to pay to do it." That's just stupid. (IMHO)
 
I have to disagree, I don't think it's that the city "feels it needs to incarcerate." It's not like they're throwing a lot of innocent people in jail. These people have commited crimes and gotten themselves in there. I feel their health is still thier own responsibility, no matter where they are "staying." If they were in a hotel, I wouldn't expect the hotel to pick up the medical bill...
 
Originally posted by Chimpie@Feb 21 2005, 10:25 PM
I'm sorry to take this thread somewhat off topic, but if the city/county/state feels that they should incarcerate they should pay to house them, feed them and take care of their medical needs. Of course this is done through taxes, but they shouldn't say, "You're going to jail and you have to pay to do it." That's just stupid. (IMHO)
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I say fry 'em all - then we don't have to worry about paying their medical bills OR about population control... :ph34r:
 
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