Inmates of the Dyer County Jail may soon receive more medical services for less money out of the taxpayer's pockets.

Sheriff Jeff Holt told members of the Dyer County Commission's Law Enforcement committee about proposals he would like to consider to provide medical services, prescriptions, and possibly dental care, to inmates in the county jail. Committee members Connie Apple Evans, Debbie Bradshaw Hart, Benny Spain, Tom Reasons, Jimmy Wells and County Mayor Richard Hill joined Sheriff Jeff Holt in the conference room at the Dyer County Jail to go over preliminary changes in the sheriff's budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

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"I have talked to the committees about a couple of proposals on inmate care that I think are worth looking into," said Holt. "Frankly, it doubles our care."

Holt said that $181,192 was set aside in last year's budget to provide 30 scheduled hours and 10 on-call hours of nursing care throughout the week, contract salary for physicians, budgeted medical costs, pharmaceuticals, and insurance and Social Security for employee costs.

A proposal from South Health Partners out of Chattanooga offers 56 hours per week of nursing care, the services of a physician or nurse practitioner, medical supplies, over-the-counter medications, prescription medications, administrative expenses and more for $134,000.

"That also includes all pharmacy," said Holt, "We budgeted $42,500 (included in the $181,192) for drugs this year."

Holt said that the company, which serves 130 counties in 11 states, would hire locally for positions at the jail and would also allow prescriptions to be purchased locally.

Another company, Detention Healthcare Associates, proposes 60 hours of care for inmates per week, including mental health and dental services for $185,400. Holt said the company provides many of its services through telemedicine technology, including clinical, diagnostic and mental health information collected over a digital video connection.

Holt would also like to look into a proposal to provide PPO services for the jail, through Correctional Risk Services, a company that offers provider discounts for correctional facilities. According to Holt, the company would be paid its fee out of the money the county saves on medical expenses.

"What you pay is a percentage of what you save," said Holt. "The billing goes to them. It could probably save us some money."

Hill suggested that the proposals and contracts be reviewed by the county attorney before a decision is made and offered his support for Holt to do what he felt was best for the department.

"We are staying in what we are spending," said Wells. "(It looks like) more hours, more coverage."