Florida Inmates' Health Bills in Spotlight for Hospital
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Posted: 8:37 AM Sep 20, 2010
Florida Inmates' Health Bills in Spotlight for Hospital
Miami-Dade County commissioners ask why a hospital isn't charging prisoners for their own care, as required by state law.
Reporter: AP
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Miami, Florida (AP) --

Why are taxpayers footing the bill for inmate health care at Miami's struggling hospital system?

As Miami-Dade County commissioners consider the Jackson Health
System budget this week, local officials ask why the hospital isn't
charging prisoners for their own care, as required by state law.
Most public hospitals in the country don't have to pick up the
costs -- local governments or other entities do.

Jackson's monthly financial reports say correctional health care
costs locals taxpayers $24 million a year. Hospital executives
insist having an outside contractor perform jail services will save
taxpayers $8 million next year.

Jackson officials say prisoner care is an "unfunded mandate" the county commission forced on them.

Latest Comments

Posted by: GV Location: Ga on Sep 21, 2010 at 01:33 PM

I somewhat agree with Anonymous.Let the inmates who have money pay for the ones who don't.You know,spread the wealth.
Posted by: Anonymous on Sep 20, 2010 at 05:14 PM

@Jerome - I say have other inmates pay for other inmates hospital bills. I don't want to pay another freaking dime for these thugs who do crime. I'm sick to death of thugs and their crimes. Let crime pay for itself - let them grow their own food, make their own clothes, and build their own prisons. And if they can't do it, let them live in tents in the outdoors and let them do without medical care LIKE THE REST OF US ARE DOING WITHOUT DENTAL AND HEALTH CARE! p.s. and we aren't even criminals.
Posted by: Jerome Location: Tallahassee on Sep 20, 2010 at 11:18 AM

How can inmates pay their own health care bills if they are locked up? There should be some other type of way their health care bills are paid. Get over it, we pay taxes,may not agree to all of the decisions made about the distribution of tax monies,but thats the way it is. If the inmates are not on death row, it should be apart of their probation once they exit the prison system instead of charging unnecessary probation fees. Also, if they are on death row, they wwant get out so ,lets be realistic, we gotta pay it as tax payers.
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