That stuff will eat out your liver, your lungs, your heart and everything else. Few inmates have private health insurance, and coverage through Medicare and Medicaid generally is not available after inmates are in jail for 30 days. There is very little the jail or county can do to reverse the costs. State law allows jailers to petition the circuit court and the state Department of Corrections if they believe their fiscal courts are not giving them enough to operate. While most county departments can cut their budgets during a crunch, the jail can't reduce medical costs.
Federal guidelines require that inmate medical needs be addressed, particularly when pain exists.
Bob Arnold, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Counties, said the association will continue to oppose any federal or state mandates that go unfunded. What often happens is the federal mandates are passed to the state and then to local officials. He said the state should pick up more of the costs, in part because almost all the inmates are in jail, accused of breaking state laws. McCracken County Judge-Executive Danny Orazine said it would be a big help if the state would just pay what it is supposed to pay, even though it still wouldn't cover everything. We are going to have to do something.