INMATES WILL BE CHARGED FOR CERTAIN HEALTH CARE SERVICES RECEIVED WHILE INCARCERATED

NEWS RELEASE

EL PASO COUNTY TEXAS-In an effort to offset the rising costs of health care for our inmate population, on July 1, 2012, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will begin to charge a fee to inmates for medical services they receive from our contracted Inmate Health Care provider. These services include non-emergency events, such as a request to see the nursing staff, doctor, or dentist. 

While the Sheriff’s Office does attempt to off-set medical costs through the use of a competitive bid process for inmate medical services, Medicare/Medicaid when appropriate, and private medical insurance if the inmate has it, this will be the first time that the Sheriff’s Office will actually charge an inmate for non-emergency medical costs that occur while the inmate is incarcerated in a county jail facility.  As federal and state law requires, NO INMATE in our custody will be denied appropriate medical care due to their inability to pay.