County staff report nearly $200,000 in off-site inmate medical costs in four months

County medical staff (identified in the meeting as Cassandra and other jail medical personnel) told commissioners the jail had spent $199,481.39 in the first four months of the budget on off-site medical costs, pharmaceuticals, on-site labs and mobile imaging.

Staff described recent high-cost cases: one female inmate required at least a week in the hospital and three surgeries; another inmate had medication costs of about $8,000 a month and was relocated, which staff said should lower monthly expenses. The presenter said negotiated pricing with Erlanger will be used to settle hospital bills and that the planned fall-protection improvements to housing areas could reduce future injury- and surgery-related costs.

Commissioners asked whether these were federal or local inmates; staff clarified the county does not pay federal medical costs for federal inmates and that the federal government pays those medical bills. No new contract awards or budget reallocations were approved at the meeting; staff said they will continue to track expenses and report back as negotiated pricing is finalized.