By Chad Frey

(EXCERPT)

There are two bills in the U.S. Senate that Harvey County Commissioner Chip Westfall — and the National Association of Counties — are watching that could be helpful not only to people arrested and sitting in the county jail waiting for court, but to the counties as well.

“I think this would help our jail budget quite a bit,” Westfall said.

According to Sen. Edward J. Markely, D-Mass., the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy strips federal health benefits from individuals in jail before they are convicted of a crime — a violation of constitutional rights.

Read the full article here.