COLUMBIANA COUNTY Officials to study insurance plans

The law requires counties provide medical care for inmates.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County commissioners will try to save money by seeking proposals from companies willing to provide health insurance for inmates.
Reducing medical bills for county prisoners could save thousands of dollars annually, commissioners say.
They agreed Wednesday to seek the health-insurance proposals.
"It frustrates me that we have to pay these bills," Commissioner Dave Cranmer said of inmate medical costs. The expense averages about $100,000 per year.
By law, counties must provide medical care for inmates, even if they have their own health insurance or would otherwise be covered by Medicaid.
The county also can't force inmates to pay for medical expenses incurred during their jail stay.
Last year, the county had to foot a nearly $11,000 bill when an inmate had a baby.
The county tries to avoid housing inmates with serious medical conditions. That's not always possible, however.
Under consideration: Commissioners said they are considering sending a letter to judges in the county, asking them to sentence more defendants to house arrest, if feasible.
For the past several months, Cranmer researched inmate medical insurance.
He has discovered one firm, Stratford Insurance Agency of Stow, that's willing to provide the coverage.
Should an insurer be hired, it would be paid from the money it saves the county on inmate medical expenses.
Insurance programs can produce savings through close monitoring of inmate care and by entering into agreements with medical providers regarding charges for services, Cranmer has explained.
The county prosecutor's office is advising commissioners to seek proposals from providers to ensure the county gets the best insurance deal possible, Cranmer said.
leigh@vindy.com