We have a hospital district in our county. I have been asked who is financially responsible for an indigent inmate's medical care, the County or the Hospital District? Is the answer different if the prisoner is not a resident of the county?

The Hospital District has been billing the County for the cost of providing care to the inmates.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

We have been arguing about that for quite a while. Between the two of us, the attorney for the hospital district and I think we have it worked out....
1) Defendant is indigent, a county resident, and an inmate = responsibility of Indigent Health Care.

2) Defendant is indigent, a resident of Texas but not the county, and an inmate = combined responsibility of Indigent Health Care of the county of residence and our county.

3) Defendant is indigent, not a Texas resident, and an inmate = responsibility of home state and county.

4) Defendant is not indigent = give the man a cigar - we all win!

Once we hammered this out, we reached an agreement with the hospital district that we would pay up to a set amount on the ones that are a joint liability, and the hospital would sic their billing types on the resident county or state. If they get really lucky and the bill is paid by the other county or state (yeah, right - anyone want to take bets on that one?) then the county will be reimbursed for our payment.