Investigation of Inmate Medical Co-Pay at Iowa's County Jails, March 21, 2024

(2024) Investigation of Inmate Medical Co-Pay at Iowa's County Jails, March 21, 2024. Iowa Citizens' Aide/Ombudsman

Preview

PDF Inmate_Medical_Fee_Public_Critical__2F2B5492A7443.pdf File Size:415kB

Abstract

The Ombudsman has wrestled with county jails for years to settle a controversy about when they are authorized to charge inmates for medical care, and the steps they must take to recoup those charges. We first started fielding these complaints soon after a 2006 amendment in the Iowa Code changed the way jails can charge for medical expenses. The complaints we receive differ slightly in their particulars, but they typically involve a jail that has taken an inmate’s money with little or no notice or without going through the court process set out by Iowa law. Iowa’s county jails are allowed to recover expenses from certain inmates who receive medical care during their incarceration. Restrictions are built into Iowa law that allow jails to charge for medical expenses if the inmate is at least 18 years old and has been: (1) convicted of a criminal offense or (2) sentenced for contempt of court for violating a domestic abuse order. In the event a qualifying inmate does not pay the expense, Iowa law provides a specific avenue through the courts that the jail may take to recover the expenses.