Recently the Commercial Appeal reported that law enforcement has been purposefully delaying arrests.
You may ask: But why in the world would they do that? Isn’t it their job to arrest people who are caught breaking the law?
The police have been holding back on arrests because of soaring health care costs. When a suspect is injured but doesn’t have insurance, the medical costs fall on the taxpayers in the place where that suspect is held.
The article focuses on burns caused by manufacturing meth. People with meth burns generally don’t have the income or insurance to cover their own health care, and meth injuries are often particularly extensive.
The same problem can apply to any injured criminal who doesn’t have insurance or the means to cover their health care. After a person is arrested the cost falls on local taxpayers to provide adequate medical attention. These days, places like Memphis and nearby Fayette County have very tight budgets to cover the health costs for criminals held in their facilities.
If the police delay an arrest, the injured person can go to a hospital like The Med, which receives state and federal aid to help cover medical costs for low-income patients. So while the patient awaiting arrest does still receive assistance to cover the costs of care, that assistance comes from statewide taxpayer money and some federal funding as opposed to small, financially overwhelmed counties in Tennessee.
Federal and state assistance don’t always cover all of the costs, though. It’s not uncommon to leave the hospital with $100,000 in debt – even with help from taxpayers. When you call our bankruptcy law firm Memphis, TN families place their trust in, our knowledgeable lawyers can explain to you the bankruptcy process and answer any questions you might have.
Injured criminals aren’t the only ones with astronomical medical bills. Hospital costs can lead to financial desperation and trouble with your credit. Remember, though: Chapter 7 bankruptcy can relieve you of medical debt.
Contact us today to talk for free with an attorney about your situation.