Lincoln County will remain under a burn ban despite Monday’s rainfall, Lincoln County Emergency Management Coordinator Clifford Galey said on Monday.

Galey addressed the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors during its regular meeting Monday morning to say despite recent rainfall the ban will continue. Galey said there is no significant rain expected in the next 30 days, and the ban will continue and then be reevaluated at the Oct. 5 meeting.

There are exceptions to the ban for the Forestry Commission, certified burn managers and commercial contractors with heavy construction equipment, providing that they burn meets the state’s DEQ regulations.

Any person who knowingly and willfully violates a burning ban is guilty of a misdemeanor and may be fined not less than $100 and not more than $500.

 

County sees savings in MAS program

 

Lincoln County has begun participating in a program that shows promising savings in what the county pays for inmate medical care.

Through enrollment in the Inmate Medical Cost Containment Program through the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, the county has saved over 66 percent on medical bills for inmates.

Counties don’t buy insurance for housed inmates, but rather pay medical costs as they are billed, MAS Director Derrick Surrette said. Surrette said in 2010 MAS lobbied and was successful in getting a bill passed that would allow county jails to be treated the same as the state facilities, which are only required to pay the Medicaid reimbursement rate for what hospitals charge.

House Bill 1111 was passed in 2010 by the Mississippi Legislature. The bill reads in part “..medical care service providers will be paid…an amount no greater than the reimbursement rate applicable based on the Mississippi Medicaid reimbursement rate. The Board of Supervisors of any county shall not be liable for any cost…that exceeds the Mississippi Medicaid reimbursement rate.”

Surrette said counties must have a certified medical third-party administrator, and a knowledgeable one at that, to get the savings. Gulf Guaranty is the company that helps MAS go through the medical bills and makes sure counties pay no more than they have to. The program takes administrative work off the county and allows them to take advantage of the reimbursement rate.

“We think we’re saving taxpayers lot of money and we’re proud of the legislation, proud of the program and our association,” Surrette said.

In the first 60-day period the county has been on the program, it was charged $14,424 in inmate medical costs. The county paid $4,712 for a savings of $9,530. MAS charges 5 percent for the service, which for Lincoln County was $476.

“It helps the sheriff’s budget and helps the county put money somewhere else like public safety and roads and bridges,” Surrette said. “You don’t hear about many programs these days that are saving money.”

District 3 Supervisor Nolan Williamson said he is excited about the program and the potential savings. After great results from the first 60 days, Williamson expects yearly savings to be substantial.