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| Sick Inmates Released Early to Avoid Medical Expenses |
| By tdn.com |
| Published: 02/22/2010 |
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St. John Medical Center has accused Cowlitz County officials of prematurely releasing sick inmates from the Cowlitz County Jail in an effort to avoid paying more than $100,000 in medical bills, according to documents released by the county. In letters to county officials throughout last year, the hospital's attorneys say there have been several instances where ailing inmates were discharged from the jail just before or just after they were brought to the hospital. The hospital sited state law, which states inmate medical costs must be paid by the cities and counties responsible for operating the jail, unless the inmate is eligible for state Medicaid. The hospital attorneys also pointed to a New Jersey court ruling which says a jail cannot "avoid its duty to provide health care to a prisoner by prematurely terminating his prison term." "It has been ongoing," Randy Querin, a spokesman for Peace Health, said of the billing problems concerning sick inmates. "It's not a new issue." In some cases, Querin said, law enforcement officers will "keep tabs" on a suspect or inmate who has been released from the jail so they can rearrest him and return him to the lockup. Read More. |
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