Medical emergency costs county

A medical emergency at the jail cost the county over $40,000 recently.

Sheriff Donnie Lampert met with the County Council for approval of an addition appropriation of $150,000 for the Security Center’s medical fund after the incident along with other medicals costs depleted the fund this year. The fund normally holds $150,000 but was down to around $40,000 for the year.

“One bill from Evansville was $80,000 alone,” Lampert told the council, “but we have found out that through being part of Advanced Corrections we get a discount. This dropped our bill down between $30,000 to $40,000.”

Advanced Correctional Healthcare facilitates healthcare for inmates at the Security Center. It supplies doctors and practitioners for the jail, but Lampert said they just recently found out the group will negotiate with hospitals for better rates similar to Medicare/Aid.

The resident was taken to Memorial Hospital but due to the extent of his illness was transferred to Evansville. According to Lampert the inmate returned but a few days later he was taken back down to Evansville.

The inmate is no longer in the jail but the county continues to receive bills from the medical emergency from doctors and testing centers. Lampert stated he expects the total to reach over $40,000 but was unsure about the total.

Anyone arrested and held by the county becomes the county’s responsibility in regards to medical care until they are released.

“It cost the county a lot of money but it helped save a life,” Lampert said. “Our best investment is people, so it is worth it.”