Sec. 4.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) and sections 5 and 5a, all charges and expenses of safekeeping and maintaining prisoners and persons charged with an offense, shall be paid from the county treasury, the accounts therefor being first settled and allowed by the county board of commissioners.
(2) If medical care or treatment is provided to an individual described in subsection (1), the health care provider shall make a reasonable effort to determine whether that individual is covered by a health care policy, a certificate of insurance, or other source for the payment of medical expenses. If the county sheriff who has custody over the individual is aware that the individual is covered by any health care policy, certificate of insurance, or other source of payment, the sheriff shall provide that information to the health care provider. If the health care provider determines that the individual, at the time of admission or treatment, is a medicaid recipient or a beneficiary of any health care policy, certificate of insurance, or other source for the payment of some or all of those expenses, the health care provider shall first seek reimbursement from that source, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable health care policy, certificate of insurance, or medicaid contract, before submitting those expenses to the county. When submitting an invoice to the county for the payment of medical expenses under this section, a health care provider shall provide a statement that the health care provider has made a reasonable effort to determine whether the individual was covered by a health care policy, certificate of insurance, or other source for the payment of medical expenses. A county may enter into agreements with health care providers to establish procedures for the submission of invoices for medical expenses under this section and the payment of those invoices.
History: R.S. 1846, Ch. 171 ;-- CL 1857, 6132 ;-- CL 1871, 8021 ;-- How. 9637 ;-- CL 1897, 2653 ;-- CL 1915, 2525 ;-- CL 1929, 17671 ;-- CL 1948, 801.4 ;-- Am. 1982, Act 16, Imd. Eff. Feb. 25, 1982 ;-- Am. 1984, Act 119, Imd. Eff. June 1, 1984 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 20, Imd. Eff. Feb. 9, 2006