The Natrona County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday denied a request by the Wyoming Medical Center to increase payments the county makes for prisoner care and involuntary hospitalizations.

In an April letter to the commission, the hospital board requested an increase in annual payments from $120,000 to $450,000. The letter indicated that anticipated costs for such hospital care will approach $900,000 this year.

The Wyoming Medical Center doesn't pay rent in cash for the use of the county's hospital property. However, it does pay by caring for indigent patients and prisoners at the county jail, with the county chipping in the $120,000 a year.

And with the county providing a lease in exchange for such care, a raise is unwarranted, commissioner Matt Keating said during Tuesday's work session.

"They get a pretty good bargain on rental from us," Keating said. "And if they already experience a pretty good rent, why would we pay them more?"

But, argued commissioner Terry Wingerter, a raise to, say, $200,000 could help out the nonprofit hospital.

Under contract, the commissioners are not required to raise the amount per year that they currently contribute, said county attorney Eric Nelson. The county hasn't raised the involuntary care rate since 1996.

But according to the Medical Center's April request, the county should consider contributing more due to recent added costs of service.

"…We believe it was the original intent of [a portion of the operating lease agreement] to be able to renegotiate the amount of the County's payment for these services if these types of increases were experienced," the letter says.

Possibly due to the late meeting time, messages left with several hospital officials were not returned.

Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0589 or megan.lee@trib.com