LIMIT COUNTY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INMATE MEDICAL EXPENSES
House Bill 4214
Sponsor: Rep. Bruce Caswell
Committee: Criminal Justice
Complete to 4-10-03
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4214 AS INTRODUCED 2-13-03
The bill would amend 171 of the Revised Statutes of 1846 to limit the responsibility of counties for the medical treatment of prisoners in their care to no more than $250 for emergency medical care. Currently, the act requires a county to pay, from the county treasury, all charges and expenses of safekeeping and maintaining prisoners and persons charged with an offense. The bill, however, would specify that a county would not be liable for payment of any amount for any other medical care or treatment administered to a prisoner or person charged with an offense. If a prisoner or alleged offender received medical care as an emergency patient, the county would only be liable for a maximum amount of $250 for that care.
"Emergency patient" would be defined as an individual having a physical or mental condition that manifested with acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including, but not limited to, pain such that a prudent layperson, possessing average knowledge of health and medicine, could reasonably expect to result in one or all of the following:
· Placing the health of the individual or, in the case of a pregnant woman, the health of the patient or the unborn child, or both, in serious jeopardy.
· Serious impairment of bodily function.
· Serious dysfunction of a body organ or part.
MCL 801.4
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.