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Counties and Sheriffs Seek Caps on Inmate Medical Costs

By Tom Flanigan

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-885960.mp3

Tallahassee, FL – Many of Florida's local taxpayers may be overpaying for medical services provided to county jail inmates. There's a move afoot in the Legislature to cap those charges.

As things stand now, too many counties and sheriff's offices in Florida pay the "usual and customary" fees when inmates have to see a doctor or go to the hospital. Those fees, picked up by taxpayers, are usually well above standard charges.

Under Florida law, the reimbursement rate for medical services provided to inmates in the state prison system can be no more than a 110-percent of the Medicare rates. Frank Messersmith with the Florida Sheriffs Association thinks taxpayers should get the same price break.

"This year, let's do for the local jails what the Legislature did the last two years for the state prisoners. So that was the purpose of the bill, to use the exact same language and cap the medical costs at the local level also."

Messersmith says that would save Florida counties and sheriff's departments somewhere around seven-million dollars a year. The bill also has the backing of the Florida Association of Counties.