Counties benefits from law regarding inmate health costs

The county is benefiting from a new law that changes what cities and counties are paying for inmate health costs.

Sheriff Chuck Dunn provided a report to commissioners on the Kansas County Jail Savings on Inmate Health Care Costs. In May of 2006 House Bill 2893 was signed into law and provides that Kansas County and City Jails are able to pay Medicaid rates for inmates who require health care at an offsite healthcare facilities and providers, such as hospitals, physician offices, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities.

In 2018 there were 3,279 claims for medical treatment for inmates in the State of Kansas. The amount that was charged for the 3,279 claims was $7,220,203 but with this new law the Medicaid payment was $1,022,752 which saved Kansas Counties and Cities a cost savings of $6,197,451 in medical treatments for one year.

Since the law passed in 2006, there have been 53,394 claims for medical treatments for inmates in the State of Kansas. The amount that was charged for those 53,394 claims was $81,169,469 but with the change in law, the Medicaid payment was $18,169,469 for a savings of $63,639,538 for the Kansas Counties and Cities.