DOC asks for population‑driven increases and flags possible medical contract rise

The Idaho Department of Correction told the Joint Finance Preparations Committee on Feb. 4 it needs supplemental funding to address higher than anticipated county jail and out‑of‑state placements and to cover rising medical services costs.

Noah Peterson, the Legislative Services Office analyst, said the agency’s requested supplemental for FY2025 accounts for population increases compared with earlier projections. The county and out‑of‑state placement program asked for $1.9237 million in FY2025 (ongoing base adjustments carry differing totals across years), and the medical services division asked for $5.9572 million to account for higher medical utilization in FY2025 under the department’s projections.

Peterson explained the FY2026 enhancement requests largely reflect annualizing those supplemental needs. The agency said medical service negotiations with its current provider assume a 10% cost increase; if negotiations fail and the contract is rebid, the department projects a 30%–40% increase in medical costs.

The county per‑diem schedule shown in the budget materials is $57.50 per inmate per day for stays of seven days or less, $77.50 for stays beyond seven days, and $84.45 for out‑of‑state inmates, and Senator Zieterfeld asked how those rates are set. Director Josh Tewalt told the committee that the county per‑diem rates are set in Idaho Code and that the bifurcated rate is intended to encourage quicker transfer out of county jails.

Peterson and agency staff emphasized the drivers are population and utilization changes rather than per‑diem increases. The agency recommended monitoring negotiations with the current medical contractor; the committee requested updated utilization and contract negotiation details to inform appropriation decisions.

No votes were taken during the hearing; the governor recommended the supplemental requests as presented.