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Coroner tells supervisors Albany Med control of Saratoga Hospital has raised autopsy, storage and x‑ray fees; contract sent to Law and Finance
Summary
A county official (Coroner, unnamed) told the committee that Saratoga Hospital’s transfer to Albany Medical Center has led to higher autopsy, morgue and x‑ray fees; the Coroner asked the board to forward Albany Med’s proposed contract to Law and Finance for review.
A county official speaking about forensic medical services told the Public Safety Committee that Saratoga Hospital is now a subsidiary of Albany Medical Center and that Albany Med submitted its own contract form rather than the county's standard contract. The speaker said the coroner's office has performed 125 autopsies to date and described significant fee increases following Albany Med's involvement.
The speaker gave specific examples: an initial morgue cooler fee of $1,200 for bringing a body into custody and a storage fee of $275 per 24 hours, both described as new or increased charges. The speaker also said x‑ray fees have risen in at least one example from $76 to $188. Committee members asked whether alternative autopsy providers existed in the region; the speaker said there were no suitable alternatives and named facilities elsewhere to which bodies are sometimes transported.
The coroner requested that administration and the county attorney review Albany Med’s contract submission and move the item to the Law and Finance committee for further consideration. The meeting transcript records the committee agreeing to forward the contract to Law and Finance; the board did not make a final decision on the contract terms during this meeting.
