Bill > S119

This bill aims to contain medical costs for inmates by increasing the use of the Central Prison Healthcare Complex (CPHC) and the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women (NCCIW) facilities. It requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to develop a plan to increase the usage of CPHC and NCCIW, conduct cost comparisons, and maximize the usage of these facilities. The bill also requires DPS to properly account for inmate health care expenditures, develop mechanisms to budget and monitor these expenditures, and work with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to enable social workers to qualify for federal Medicaid reimbursement for inmate Medicaid eligibility activities. Additionally, the bill directs DPS to study salaries and vacancy rates for in-prison health services employees and establish performance measures and a business case for the expansion of its telemedicine pilot program.