A new healthcare services and payment agreement between the Washington County Jail and Washington County Hospital and Clinics was approved by the Washington County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.

Sheriff Jared Schneider explained that the agreement states that inmates have the primary responsibility for payment of any required healthcare services, and that the hospital shall see payment for services through the inmate’s health insurance or other benefits prior to requesting reimbursement from the county, “Back in 2020 there was a change in the Iowa Code on how that needed to be billed back to the county making the county the payer of last resort. In talking with the hospital they kind of thought it would be better if we got a contract in place. Our last contract with them is over 10 years old and doesn’t fall into line with the code change in 2020.”

If health insurance is denied the hospital shall submit a bill to the county within 60 days of treatment, and the hospital shall be reimbursed by the county at the hospital’s Medicaid outpatient cost-to-charge ratio, which currently equates to a 58% discount to base charges. The agreement states that WCHC will provide the Iowa Medicaid’s revised cost-to-charge ratio each year to the county, which Schneider explained if it changes after July 1st they will amend the agreement.