Committee delays vote on inmate medical costs
Friday, January 22, 2010
SB 218 appeared in the Senate Community Affairs Committee this week. Sheriff Coats from Pinellas County spoke in support of the bill and touched on the magnitude of savings this legislation would bring to taxpayers. The committee seemed supportive of the bill, until Senator Thrasher spoke in opposition of the bill. The Florida Hospital Association and the Florida College of Emergency Physicians also opposed the bill. Ultimately, Senator Garcia moved to temporarily postpone the bill until Senator Jones was present.
SB 218 will provide a great deal of savings for taxpayers without over paying for medical care for arrested persons. The same indigent individuals would qualify for the Medicaid rate (if they weren't arrested) why should local governments pay more?
FAC encourages counties to review the bill and calculate the taxpayer savings. Please share these savings with FAC and the members of the Senate Community Affairs Committee.
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