[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 178 (Wednesday, December 9, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REINTRODUCTION OF THE RESTORING THE PARTNERSHIP FOR COUNTY HEALTH CARE 
                           COSTS ACT OF 2015

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 9, 2015

  Mr. HASTINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill to 
restore the partnership between the federal government and counties for 
the health care costs of inmates who have not been convicted of a 
crime. This legislation will provide some relief to our nation's local 
economies, while embodying the fundamental principles of our legal 
justice system.
  In almost all states, a person who is incarcerated in a county jail 
or juvenile detention facility loses their Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP or 
SSI benefits even if they have not been convicted of a crime. The U.S. 
Supreme Court's interpretation of the 8th Amendment requires government 
entities to provide medical care to all inmates. As a result, local 
governments are burdened with the expense of providing health care to 
thousands of men, women and children currently awaiting trial.
  Providing health care for inmates constitutes a major portion of 
local jail operating costs. Requiring county governments to cover 
health care costs for inmates who have not yet been convicted of a 
crime places an unnecessary burden on local governments, which have 
their fair share of widespread budget deficits and cuts to safety net 
programs and other essential services.
  Terminating benefits to inmates who are awaiting trial violates the 
presumption of innocence, which is a cornerstone principle of our 
justice system. The current practice does not distinguish between 
persons who are awaiting disposition of charges and persons who have 
been duly convicted and sentenced. This disproportionately affects low-
income and minority populations who are often unable to post bond, 
which would enable them to continue receiving benefits.
  Mr. Speaker, my legislation addresses this problem by prohibiting the 
federal government from stripping individuals of their Medicare, 
Medicaid, and SSI benefits before the inmate has been convicted of a 
crime. It preserves the partnership between the federal and local 
governments and ensures that local governments are not burdened with an 
unfair share of meeting the mandate to guarantee medical coverage. I 
encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense bill 
that addresses a problem affecting communities all across the nation.

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