Koochiching County is looking for help with the cost of providing medical care to people locked up in their jail.
A person on medical assistance loses that benefit if they’re incarcerated for more than 30 days.
Jail Administrator Pete Kalar says that ends up falling on the County’s taxpayers.
“We got a treat them and I think we should. We’ll also decent human beings but that comes at a cost,” says Kalar.
County officials aired their concerns before State House Rep. Rob Ecklund and Senator Tom Baak during a meeting yesterday.
Kalar says many of the people they’re seeing in the jail had obtained medical assistance prior.
“We’re just getting more and more of these people. A lot of them are just under unfortunate circumstances, mental health, drug abuse. Nobody wants to be there,” says Kalar.
