|
|
| GA. Proposes co-pay for inmates |
| By Maggie Lee |
| Published: 03/02/2009 |
|
Georgia - Time in prison is supposed to reform inmates. Tacking on a bill for certain medications or room and board, and the reform might go further. So goes the thinking behind some draft laws winding through the Capitol this session. House Bill (HB) 464 proposes charging state prisoners a co-pay on every prescription from the prison dispensary that treats a passing illness, such as a cold. The bill excludes drugs for chronic conditions or pregnancy. “It's estimated that the cost of medication for our inmates this year will be in excess of $25 million. This is a way that they can pay a reasonable amount toward their healthcare,” bill author Rep. Barbara Massey Reece (D-Menlo) told a House State Institutions and Property Committee hearing. She expects the fee would be $5 per prescription, though that's ultimately up to the people in charge at each institution. Any inmate with less than $10 in their account wouldn't be charged. She has the support of the Department of Corrections. It won't do much for the prison budget, but it may teach a “civics lesson,” according to Alan Adams, division director for health services at the department. “The intent is for the inmates to shoulder some of the responsibility for their own healthcare, to make informed and adult decisions about when to access healthcare and when not to,” Adams testified to the committee, which approved the bill. Most cold medicines and the like are prescribed after a prisoner initiates a sick call and is taken to the prison doctor. That call is already subject to a $5 co-pay. “This will further discourage a malingerer or an inmate without a real problem from going to medical,” Adams said. The co-pay could net the Department of Corrections some $1.8 million a year, according to their own calculations. “We do not expect this to become a significant revenue generator,” Adams testified. It's meant to encourage responsibility, he added. Rep. Chuck Martin (R-Alpharetta), who is responsible for the statewide prison budget, says he supports the initiative. “The bill’s intent is to dissuade prisoners from either feigning illness or inflicting wounds on themselves just to get a trip to the clinic and get out of their cell for awhile,” Martin said. “By making prisoners financially accountable for their own actions, it also will free up clinic time for those prisoners who really are sick and need proper medical attention,” Martin pronounced. He said the bill excludes those who are suffering from mental illness. “Taxpayers should not be shouldering the financial responsibility for prisoners who bring injury to themselves,” he said. The current 2009-10 budget allocates $226 million for prison health care, an almost 20 percent increase over last year. “Healthcare is nearly 25 percent of my entire corrections budget,” Martin added. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
Comments:
Login to let us know what you think
MARKETPLACE search vendors | advanced search
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
|
Waco has developed a reputation for a rocket-docket in patent litigation. It’s an important choice to find the right lawyer in Waco for your important patent litigation matter. When people in the know make the hire, they hire Dunnam & Dunnam. Lawyers that are competent, hard-working, focused are a rare find. Few attorneys have the commitment to quality, collegiality, and loyalty of the Waco car wreck lawyer, You can search for attorneys with loyalty, leadership, accountability. These attorneys show financial generosity and a sense of fairness to their colleagues. For nearly 100 years, people in Waco have hired the firm when the results matter. at Dunnam & Dunnam are among the most respected in the Central Texas area. They have the experience in trials and mediations to guide your case in the right way. There are few important decisions at the outset of the case that can turn the tide in your favor. Choosing the right lawyer is one of them.