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Medicaid Coverage for Individuals in Jail Pending Disposition: Opportunities for Improved Health and Health Care at Lower Costs

Topic
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides an opportunity for millions of poor men and women to obtain insurance coverage to address their health care needs. A substantial percentage of the newly eligible population will be jail-involved. The ACA explicitly allows incarcerated individuals pending disposition to be classified as qualified to enroll in and receive services from health plans participating in state health insurance exchanges if they qualify for such coverage. However, under current rules, individuals in jail pending disposition are ineligible for Medicaid services. They may enroll in the program but their status as an inmate results in their being ineligible for benefits.This paper describes the jail population and offers 10 reasons why individuals in jail pending disposition should be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

Author
Marsha Regenstein, PhD
Jade Christie-Maples
Department of Health Policy
School of Public Health and Health Services
George Washington University

A Roundtable Discussion: Criminal Justice and Health Information Technology: What are the next steps?

On September 14, 2012, COCHS held a roundtable discussion in Washington DC, to identify what key government agencies are doing to address the sharing of health information for justice-involved individuals, and what this might mean for the future as we move closer to Medicaid expansion.

Authors
COCHS' Staff

Rapid Referral Program for at-risk youths proving effective, according to three-year study

Topic
Young people who receive alcohol and drug abuse counseling at Spectrum Youth and Family Services have an 18.7 percent risk of committing crimes, while 84 percent of teens in the control group who didn’t participate in the program engaged in criminal behavior.

Author
Alicia Freese, vtdigger.org

The Prison Health Care Dilemma

Topic
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act grants the incarcerated and those being released from prison a first-ever chance to get comprehensive, continuous health care.

Author
Katti Gray, The Crime Report

Psychiatric Patients With No Place to Go but Jail

Topic
Chicago plans to shut down 6 of its 12 mental health centers by the end of April, 2012 to save an estimated $2 million. Sheriff Thomas Dart of Cook County fears that these closings will definitely have a negative impact on jail populations.

Author
Bridget O'Shea, New York Times

Sheriff Tom Dart of Cook County, Illinois: Cuts lead to more mentally ill being jailed

Topic
Decision to cut spending on mental health in Illinois may increase the number of mentally ill incarcerated in Cook County Jail.

Author
Steve Metsch, Southtown Star

Medicaid Expansion and The Local Criminal Justice System

Topic
The implications of Medicaid expansion for the jail-involved population, an article published in American Jails magazine

Author
COCHS CEO Michael DuBose

Working Group on Health Reform and Criminal Justice: Re-Tooling the Relationship

Topic
A Report of the Public Welfare Foundation funded small working group on health reform and criminal justice

Working Group on Health Reform and Criminal Justice

Topic
The potential impact of the ACA on the segment of the expanded population that intersects with the criminal justice system.This is a report of a working group that was co-funded by SAMHSA through its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and its Strategic Initiative
on Trauma and Justice.

Presenter
Steven Rosenberg, President of COCHS



by Dr. Radut.