221.120. Medicine and medical attention for prisoners, definitions.

Medicine and medical attention for prisoners, definitions.

221.120. 1. If any prisoner confined in the county jail is sick and inthe judgment of the jailer, requires the attention of a physician, dentalcare, or medicine, the jailer shall procure the necessary medicine, dentalcare or medical attention necessary or proper to maintain the health of theprisoner. The costs of such medicine, dental care, or medical attention shallbe paid by the prisoner through any health insurance policy as defined insubsection 3 of this section, from which the prisoner is eligible to receivebenefits. If the prisoner is not eligible for such health insurance benefitsthen the prisoner shall be liable for the payment of such medical attention,dental care, or medicine, and the assets of such prisoner may be subject tolevy and execution under court order to satisfy such expenses in accordancewith the provisions of section 221.070, and any other applicable law. Thecounty commission of the county may at times authorize payment of certainmedical costs that the county commission determines to be necessary andreasonable. As used in this section, the term "medical costs" includes theactual costs of medicine, dental care or other medical attention and necessarycosts associated with such medical care such as transportation, guards andinpatient care.

2. The county commission may, in their discretion, employ a physician bythe year, to attend such prisoners, and make such reasonable charge for hisservice and medicine, when required, to be taxed and collected as provided bylaw.

3. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

(1) "Assets", property, tangible or intangible, real or personal,belonging to or due a prisoner or a former prisoner, including income orpayments to such prisoner from Social Security, workers' compensation,veterans' compensation, pension benefits, previously earned salary or wages,bonuses, annuities, retirement benefits, compensation paid to the prisoner perwork or services performed while a prisoner or from any other sourcewhatsoever, including any of the following:

(a) Money or other tangible assets received by the prisoner as a resultof a settlement of a claim against the state, any agency thereof, or any claimagainst an employee or independent contractor arising from and in the scope ofthe employee's or contractor's official duties on behalf of the state or anyagency thereof;

(b) A money judgment received by the prisoner from the state as a resultof a civil action in which the state, an agency thereof or any state employeeor independent contractor where such judgment arose from a claim arising fromthe conduct of official duties on behalf of the state by the employee orsubcontractor or for any agency of the state;

(c) A current stream of income from any source whatsoever, including asalary, wages, disability benefits, retirement benefits, pension benefits,insurance or annuity benefits, or similar payments; and

(2) "Health insurance policy", any group insurance policy providingcoverage on an expense-incurred basis, any group service or indemnity contractissued by a not-for-profit health services corporation or any self-insuredgroup health benefit plan of any type or description.

(RSMo 1939 § 9223, A.L. 1995 H.B. 424)

Prior revisions: 1929 § 8554; 1919 § 12579; 1909 § 1601