PRISONS, PAYMENT OF MEDICAL EXPENSES

New Orleans City Code ch. 70, art. VII

in effect

New Orleans City Code § 70-701 Rules to apply to all inmates in custody of criminal sheriff; exceptions.

Sec. 70-701. - Rules to apply to all inmates in custody of criminal sheriff; exceptions. These rules shall apply to all inmates in the custody of the Orleans Parish Criminal Sheriff except inmates sentenced to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections who are in the custody of the criminal sheriff and except inmates and detainees held by the criminal sheriff for an agency of the federal government. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-702 Service fees.

Sec. 70-702. - Service fees. Inmates will be charged a $3.00 fee for each self-initiated request for medical, dental, and mental health services. No fees will be charged for any referral or scheduled return visits resulting from the inmate's initial treatment until released from care by the designated health care authority or designee. After release from care for any injury or illness, subsequent unscheduled, self-initiated requests for treatment for that injury or illness shall be chargeable. No inmate will be charged for any care that is scheduled by the sheriff or his designated medical/mental health personnel. Inmates will not be charged for the following scheduled services: (1) Lab work; (2) X-rays; (3) Immunizations, tuberculosis testing, hepatitis B vaccine, and other treatments instituted by the facility for public health reasons; (4) EKGs, dressing charges and other treatments ordered by a qualified health care provider; (5) Referral visits to outside agencies; (6) Work related injuries or illnesses, (as determined by the sheriff or designee); (7) When the fee is waived by the sheriff or designee; (8) Social service programs provided by mental health staff, (e.g., substance abuse groups); (9) Prenatal care; and (10) Intake screenings, history and physical exams. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-703 Prescription fees.

Sec. 70-703. - Prescription fees. Inmates will be charged a $2.00 fee for each new prescription written and dispensed with the exception of psychotropic medications and medications prescribed for public health reasons. There will be no charge for refills of prescriptions where the effects of the illness of injury are chronic or long-term. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-704 Notification of charges; inability to pay; service not to be refused.

Sec. 70-704. - Notification of charges; inability to pay; service not to be refused. Inmates shall be notified of the foregoing charges before treatment is rendered. In the event the inmate has insufficient funds to cover the foregoing charges, the treatment will still be administered creating a negative balance in the account, and withdrawals therefrom shall be prohibited until the charges are paid. No inmate will be refused medical, dental or mental health services or prescription drugs because of inability to pay. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-705 Dispute of charges.

Sec. 70-705. - Dispute of charges. In the event an inmate disputes any medical charge, the inmate may file a grievance with the criminal sheriff. If the criminal sheriff finds the inmate's account was wrongly debited, the account shall immediately be credited the amount it was wrongfully debited. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-706 Liability for charges.

Sec. 70-706. - Liability for charges. An inmate's discharge or transfer to another facility shall never be delayed for failure to pay the foregoing charges, but any inmate who is transferred to another facility or discharged shall remain liable for the foregoing charges. In the event an inmate with a negative balance in his or her account returns to the custody of the criminal sheriff, his or her account shall be frozen until the charges incurred during his or her previous detention, together with any new or additional charges, are paid in full. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-707 Inmate's funds to be applied to charges.

Sec. 70-707. - Inmate's funds to be applied to charges. Any funds earned or received by an inmate (including work release wages) shall first be applied to pay the foregoing charges, subject to payment of priority charges authorized by La. R.S. 15:711(E). The criminal sheriff shall submit charges under this article actually collected from inmates (excluding payments for mental health services not funded by the city) to the city on a monthly basis. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

New Orleans City Code § 70-708 Inmate to file claim for reimbursement.

Sec. 70-708. - Inmate to file claim for reimbursement. Any inmate receiving medical treatment must file a claim with the inmate's private medical or healthcare insurer or any public medical assistance program, under which the inmate is covered and from which the inmate may make a claim for payment or reimbursement of the cost of any such medical treatment, and the proceeds of all such claims shall be assigned by the inmate to the city. (Ord. No. 20,460, § 1, 11-30-01)

Source: City of New Orleans, Code of Ordinances and Home Rule Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/la/new_orleans/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICO_CH70FI_ARTVIIPRPAMEEXFetched: 10/28/2026