Number of HIV patients tripled in one metro Atlanta jail and taxpayers are footing the bill

The number of inmates receiving HIV treatment in one metro Atlanta jail has tripled.

The cost for the medication alone is more than $50,000, and taxpayers are footing the bill.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

The number of inmates who need treatment inside the Rockdale County Jail may even be more than what we know because jail inmates can opt out of testing.

Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes spoke with experts who say the new numbers don’t mean a new issue.

“Medicaid is a touchy subject,” said a spokesperson for Naphcare, the company contracted to treat Rockdale County Jail inmates. “Once they’re incarcerated, Medicaid does not pay.”

The spokesperson told commissioners that the company’s costs have tripled.

“That cost is just HIV medication,” said the spokesperson. “Which is roughly $4-6,000 a month per patient.”

Public health expert Dr. Daniel Driffin doesn’t believe the public should be alarmed by Rockdale’s number of inmates tripling from 3 to 9 people needing treatment when comparing that number to the 60,000 people living with HIV in the state.

“It could be a concern of the company,” said Driffin. “Especially if they hadn’t like planned on spending that level of resources.”

TRENDING STORIES:

• ‘Difficult decision:’ North Georgia prosecutor resigns, days after reelection
• FBI investigating possible killing aboard a cruise ship
• Georgia high schooler killed on the way to football game, friend critically hurt

The Georgia Department of Health agrees.

Part of the health department’s statement says:

“More information would be needed. Important details include whether individuals are newly or previously diagnosed when they enter the facility, whether individuals entering the facility lived in the county or another county in the state prior to incarceration…”

Dr. Anne Paulding, an Emory Professor of Epidemiology, said the tripled costs don’t mean the Rockdale community needs to be concerned.

“Jail often is a place where people living with HIV are disproportionally picked up by law enforcement and maybe living in the jail,” said Paulding.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]