San Francisco prisoners are enrolling in health care to take effect when they are released from jail, potentially saving the county millions of dollars, local newspapers report.
“A reduction in criminal behavior and repeated incarcerations associated with chronic health conditions is expected,” Public Health Director Barbara Garcia wrote in a report.
Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi proposed the change, saying, “The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department will be one of the first county jail systems in the nation that’s officially designated to enroll inmates into the Affordable Care Act,” also known as Obamacare.
About 90 percent of the inmates at the county jail are eligible for the new health care law, Mirkarimi said. His office told the San Francisco Chronicle the move could save taxpayers approximately $2,500 a year for each inmate who signs up.
The program could set up free or low-cost medical care for the majority of the 31,000 people incarcerated in San Francisco jails yearly after they are released, the Chronicle reported.
According to Mirkarimi, an estimated 90 percent of people in county jails around the country have no health insurance, and that same number are eligible for subsidized health care under the act. In California, many of those being released from county jail would qualify for Medi-Cal, which is available for individuals making less than $15,857 a year, and covers medical treatment, mental health and drug treatment deemed medically necessary.
Officials say prisoners are more likely to suffer from a variety of chronic health conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, as well as needing chronic drug treatment programs and mental health services prior to release.
Mirkarimi projects a 20 percent reduction in future arrests for those prisoners who sign up before they hit the streets. “The vast majority of jail detainees have no private or public health insurance or the financial resources for medical care upon release,” he said in his written statement.
“Having access to medical care, mental health and drug treatment is so important for this population. I think this (proposal) is going to improve public safety,” said Jeanne Woodford, former San Quentin warden.