With more drug arrests, Madison County jail costs soaring....
A "must read" article from the Oneida Dispatch reporter Caitilin Traynor re: the Madison County Jail sky-rocketing healthcare costs for inmates despite the Sheriff Dept's innovative efforts to reduce medical costs which the County is required to provide.
* Growing mental health and heroin/meth addictions requiring expensive treatments.
* Of the Sheriff’s Office annual $9.5 million budget, about $6 million is
dedicated to the operation of the jail.
* By law, the county has to provide 100 percent of
inmates’ health care costs, including prescription medication. Health insurance
companies don’t provide coverage during incarceration and even inmates with
Medicaid only have 30 days of coverage before their health insurance is
suspended. That leaves county taxpayers to foot the bill for all medical
expenses.
Read the article here at the ONEIDA DISPATCH http://www.oneidadispatch.com/general-news/20140910/with-more-drug-arrests-madison-county-jail-costs-soaring
