- January 11, 2025
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One inmate’s medical bill has taken out the entire year’s budget for Inmate Medical Services, county staff told county commissioners at a Dec. 6 meeting.
The Inmate Medical Services budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year is $230,000, and most years, that is more than enough. But recently, Inmate Medical Services received a bill for one inmate for $235,272.
“We’re hoping this is a one-off,” Financial Services Director John Brower said at the meeting.
Normally, the largest inmate medical bills are $15,000 to $30,000, Brower said.
He asked commissioners to shift $400,000 to Inmate Medical Services from the county’s general reserve fund.
Because the county has already received bill other, smaller medical bills, an extra $400,000 would pay the remainder of the large bill and give the county funding for the rest of the year, Brower told the board.
Brower said there is no way to tell specifically because of HIPAA laws, but the one inmate’s bill is likely a combination of inflation and services received.
The County Commission unanimously approved the request.
“We have a constitutional responsibility,” Commissioner Donald O’Brien said. said. “We have to take care of someone in our care.”
