By C1 Staff
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A new law will temporarily suspend an inmate’s healthcare coverage, helping to continue the rehabilitation work that a county jail will have instilled in them.
WBIR reports that Public Chapter No. 926 hopes to assist those who have overcome drug or alcohol problems by getting them insurance quickly once they’ve been released.
Before the law, once a person entered a state or local jail, they lost their TennCare insurance. Upon release, it could take months to get insurance back, leaving those with serious issues completely on their own.
State and local governments can also seek reimbursement under Medicaid for Medicaid-eligible inmates who need outside health care, including those who are admitted to inpatient health care facilities for more than 24 hours.
The creators of the law say that with the money saved, they hope jails will focus on creating programs targeted at substance abuse and mental health. In the end, they hope that this will help relieve overcrowding issues but stopping a revolving door of reoffenders.
The new law will also help cut transportation and prescription costs.
It’s estimated that the state’s counties could collectively save $2 million. The new law goes into effect April 1, 2015.