Why San Francisco's Sheriff Wants to Help Prisoners Sign Up for Obamacare

Starting this month, states that agreed to the Medicaid expansion offered by the Affordable Care Act are required to expand Medicaid eligibility to include "all non-elderly low-income adults." That means many offenders who are leaving prison and jail will be eligible for health insurance for the first time. San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi wants to make sure no offender leaves his jail without it.

On Tuesday, Mirkarimi proposed legislation to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that would require the San Francisco County Jail to help all arrestees apply for health insurance. "Inmates won't be eligible for coverage under the Affordable Care Act until they leave jail," reports the San Francisco Chronicle, "but the sheriff's move ensures they will have health care once they are released."