(a) Notwithstanding Section 4011.1, a sheriff, chief or director of corrections, or chief of police is authorized to charge a fee in the amount of three dollars ($3) for each inmate-initiated medical visit of an inmate confined in a county or city jail.
(b) The fee shall be charged to the inmate’s personal account at the facility. If the inmate has no money in his or her personal account, there shall be no charge for the medical visit.
(c) An inmate shall not be denied medical care because of a lack of funds in his or her personal account at the facility.
(d) The medical provider may waive the fee for any inmate-initiated treatment and shall waive the fee in any life-threatening or emergency situation, defined as those health services required for alleviation of severe pain or for immediate diagnosis and treatment of unforeseen medical conditions that if not immediately diagnosed and treated could lead to disability or death.
(e) Followup medical visits at the direction of the medical staff shall not be charged to the inmate.
(f) All moneys received by a sheriff, chief or director of corrections, or chief of police pursuant to this section shall be transferred to the county or city general fund.
(Amended by Stats. 1995, Ch. 91, Sec. 132. Effective January 1, 1996.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018