Medicine and medical attention for prisoners, definitions.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 221.120
in effect221.120. Medicine and medical attention for prisoners, definitions. — 1. If any prisoner confined in the county jail is sick and in the judgment of the jailer, requires the attention of a physician, dental care, or medicine, the jailer shall procure the necessary medicine, dental care or medical attention necessary or proper to maintain the health of the prisoner; provided, that this shall not include any gender transition surgery, as defined in section 191.1720 . The costs of such medicine, dental care, or medical attention shall be paid by the prisoner through any health insurance policy as defined in subsection 3 of this section, from which the prisoner is eligible to receive benefits. If the prisoner is not eligible for such health insurance benefits then the prisoner shall be liable for the payment of such medical attention, dental care, or medicine, and the assets of such prisoner may be subject to levy and execution under court order to satisfy such expenses in accordance with the provisions of section 221.070 , and any other applicable law. The county commission of the county may at times authorize payment of certain medical costs that the county commission determines to be necessary and reasonable. As used in this section, the term "medical costs" includes the actual costs of medicine, dental care or other medical attention and necessary costs associated with such medical care such as transportation, guards and inpatient care.
2. The county commission may, in their discretion, employ a physician by the year, to attend such prisoners, and make such reasonable charge for his service and medicine, when required, to be taxed and collected as provided by law.
3. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
(1) "Assets" , property, tangible or intangible, real or personal, belonging to or due a prisoner or a former prisoner, including income or payments to such prisoner from Social Security, workers' compensation, veterans' compensation, pension benefits, previously earned salary or wages, bonuses, annuities, retirement benefits, compensation paid to the prisoner per work or services performed while a prisoner or from any other source whatsoever, including any of the following:
(a) Money or other tangible assets received by the prisoner as a result of a settlement of a claim against the state, any agency thereof, or any claim against an employee or independent contractor arising from and in the scope of the employee's or contractor's official duties on behalf of the state or any agency thereof;
(b) A money judgment received by the prisoner from the state as a result of a civil action in which the state, an agency thereof or any state employee or independent contractor where such judgment arose from a claim arising from the conduct of official duties on behalf of the state by the employee or subcontractor or for any agency of the state;
(c) A current stream of income from any source whatsoever, including a salary, wages, disability benefits, retirement benefits, pension benefits, insurance or annuity benefits, or similar payments; and
(2) "Health insurance policy" , any group insurance policy providing coverage on an expense-incurred basis, any group service or indemnity contract issued by a not-for-profit health services corporation or any self-insured group health benefit plan of any type or description.
(RSMo 1939 § 9223, A.L. 1995 H.B. 424, A.L. 2023 S.B. 49, et al.) Prior revisions: 1929 § 8554; 1919 § 12579; 1909 § 1601
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=221.120Fetched: 10/17/2026