31-161. Inmate health care; costs

A. Subject to the approval of the county board of supervisors or the board of directors of a county jail district, the sheriff may charge each inmate who is committed to jail by competent authority a reasonable fee or copayment of not more than ten dollars for each inmate initiated health service that is provided, for each medical visit to a physician that is referred by a physician, a physician assistant or nurse practitioner or for prescription drugs that a county jail health services agency dispenses to an inmate. An inmate shall not be refused health services for financial reasons.

B. If the sheriff is not prohibited from charging a health care services fee or a copayment at the time the service is provided or prescription dispensed as provided in subsection D of this section, the sheriff may maintain a negative balance on an inmate's personal account against which future collections may be made.

C. All fees or copayments for health services that the county collects shall be deposited in the inmate health services fund established by section 31-162.

D. Notwithstanding section 11-291, each county sheriff for the purposes of collecting fees or copayments under this section from inmates under the sheriff's jurisdiction may charge a fee authorized under subsection A of this section except the sheriff shall not charge an inmate a health care services fee or copayment if the inmate maintains a balance in the inmate's personal account of less than ten dollars for thirty consecutive days.

E. A sheriff may exempt inmates with certain medical conditions from the payment of health care services fees or copayments.