Inmate medical expenses go over budget again

 County commissioners agreed this month to pay a little over 65 thousand dollars to help cover inmate medical expenses at the Franklin county jail.

The sheriff’s department told county commissioners last week that spent 65 thousand dollars over what it had budgeted last year for inmate medical services.

Sheriff’s representative Ginger Creamer said the department spent over 210 thousand dollars on inmate medical last year, but had only 145 thousand dollars budgeted for the expense.

The county does have a line item in its budget to cover the additional costs, but pointed out that once that money is gone, its gone.

The sheriff's office said it should be able to repay about 42 thousand dollars from a FEMA claim, when that claim is paid.

There may also be some additional insurance payments that could help repay the county.

The issue of inmate medical expenses is one the county commission and many local sheriffs have discussed in the past – it’s a difficult expense to budget for because the sheriff never knows in advance how much he’ll need.

When the sheriff creates his budget every year, the best he can do is estimate how much will be needed to cover inmate medical expenses, but all it takes is one chronically ill inmate to nullify those estimates.

Ginger Creamer pointed out that in early October there was one inmate whose medical expenses are over 177 thousand dollars, and while that price will be negotiated down, it shows just how unpredictable inmate medical expenses can be. 

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