|
|
| S.D. Senate votes to pay an extra $2.4 million for inmate health care |
| By Rapid City Journal |
| Published: 02/23/2004 |
|
The state Senate voted unanimously last Wednesday to spend an extra $2.4 million on health care for prison inmates even though the senator asking for the money said he would rather not spend it on "predators." "I reluctantly bring this bill before you," said Sen. Jerry Apa, R-Lead. "We have honest, hardworking citizens in South Dakota who struggle to carry health insurance, to take care of their families." Apa distributed a list of 18 inmates that account for $1.6 million of the $2.4 million the state will have to spend in the current fiscal year. That money is in addition to the $9.4 million already in the budget for inmate medical care. "These are predators. They prey on society," Apa said. "It is much easier and economical to take care of their medical needs than it is to let them languish and go through litigation in a wrongful death suit." Apa's list shows that inmates with the worst health problems are in for the most heinous crimes and are unlikely to be released. For example, one child molester has stomach and liver cancer, another has lymphoma, and a drug dealer in for his third offense has kidney failure. Apa praised state agencies that provide medical care in state prisons and said the extra costs are incurred at outside medical facilities and are due to the long-term health effects of intravenous drug use. Cases of renal dialysis, Hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS have all at least quadrupled over past year, Apa said. The four inmates on dialysis each cost the state $25,000 per month, for a total cost of $1.2 million per year. Hepatitis C cases rose from three to 16 in a year, and each case costs $15,600 per year. Similarly, HIV/AIDS cases went from three to 14 in a year at a cost of $36,000 per year per case, Apa said. The Senate approved spending the money in HB1076 with a 35 to 0 vote. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think