PLACEMENT: Consent
TITLE:
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MARTIN COUNTY LOCAL BILL REQUEST- INMATE MEDICAL COSTS
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
The Board of County Commissioners is requested to approve adding a potential local bill for the 2025 Legislative Session regarding county jail inmate medical costs. Due to publishing deadlines, the purpose of this item is to publish the proposed bill language. A formal presentation of the bill and accompanying data will be given at a later date.
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DEPARTMENT: Administration
PREPARED BY: Name: Sarah Powers
Title: Legislative Coordinator
REQUESTED BY: Don G. Donaldson, P.E., County Administrator
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
Counties are mandated to provide health care to inmates and those incarcerated awaiting trial. Inmate healthcare spending has increased exponentially statewide and nationwide, which is putting pressure on county budgets. In the past 16 months, Martin County spent approximately $968,000 on outside-the-jail medical care such as hospitals, physicians, and ambulances to provide care for inmates that cannot be provided by jail medical staff. As a result, the high cost of covering inmate medical expenses has limited Martin County's ability to provide other critical needs and services for its residents. Therefore, Martin County is seeking ways to contain inmate medical costs.
In Florida, section 945.6041, Florida Statutes, allows the Florida Department of Corrections to limit payments to outside medical providers to 110% of the established Medicare rate. Martin County is proposing a local bill that will reduce county jail medical expenses by extending the state caps to Martin County and setting a standardized reimbursement rate for health care providers that mimics the language already in the Florida Statutes. Compensation would be limited to 110% of the Medicare allowable rate, or 125% of the Medicare allowable rate if the health care provider reported a negative op...
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