DICKSON COUNTY, TN - Medical services for Dickson County inmates have always taken a big bite out of the jail's annual budget.

In the 2004-2005 fiscal years, the county spent $513,968 on inmate medical and dental needs.

The cost was down by more than $100,000 in the 2005-2006 fiscal year due to a contract the Dickson County Commission signed with Correctional Risk Services Inc., a company that assists the county in reviewing medical claims to make sure they are not being overcharged, said County Mayor Linda Frazier.

The commission will discuss how they can save even more money on inmate medical costs at its monthly work session Monday as Frazier plans to present a new excess medical insurance plan from CRS.

“CRS has been a big assistance to the county for this past year in reviewing claims and helping hold down medical costs for inmates,” Frazier said.

Frazier said CRS has presented three deductible insurance plans, one for $10,000, one for $20,000 and another for $30,000.

The rate for each inmate, based on an estimate of 200 inmates, depends on which deductible plan the county chooses.

The daily rate per inmate remains level, but the monthly premium would go up or down depending on the average county inmate population, officials said.

For example, the daily rate per inmate would be 54 cents on the $10,000 plan and would cost a premium of $3,240 monthly. The $20,000 plan would cost 44 cents per inmate for a monthly premium of $2,640. The $30,000 plan would cost 35 cents per inmate for a monthly premium of $2,100.

Premiums would be paid to CRS in 45 days in arrears, according to the proposal. For example, the premium for July would be due Aug. 15, Frazier said.

Frazier said the county had four claims for more than $10,000 since Sept. 1, 2005.

Had Dickson County been covered by the inmate excess medical insurance on the $10,000 deductible plan, the county would have had a net savings, after paying the insurance premiums, of almost $40,000, according to a letter officials received from CRS President Stephen M. Kreal.

Kreal further states that records indicate that his company processed $299,586 in gross inmate medical claims after the county started with the company Sept. 1, 2005.

“CRS has reduced those claims down 36 percent for a total savings to the county of $108,934. The savings to Dickson County is after CRS' claims management fee,” Kreal said in the letter.

Kreal said the county could have saved a significant amount of money if they had the excess medical insurance plan while paying the four claims that were more than $10,000.

The county could have saved a little more than $70,000, less the estimated insurance premium of $31,000 for a net savings of $39,043, Kreal said.