Even In Prison, Health Care Often Comes With A Copay

Correctional facilities have to provide health services to people who are incarcerated, but that doesn't mean the care is free of charge. In most states, inmates may be on the hook for copayments ranging from a few dollars to as much as $100 for medical care, a recent study finds.

At least 35 states authorize copayments and other fees for medical services at state prisons or county jails, according to the analysis by the Brennan Center for Criminal Justice at New York University School of Law.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons also permits inmates to be charged copayments for medical services. Some states and local governments require copayments for emergency treatment and hospitalizations in addition to routine care, says Lauren-Brooke Eisen, senior counsel at the Brennan Center's justice program who authored the study.

"It's understandable why jurisdictions need to increase their revenue," says Eisen. "From a public policy standpoint, however, the fees can serve as a deterrent to getting care."

The practice is part of a larger trend of charging inmates for prison services, says Eisen. In addition to medical copayments, more than half of states allow prisoners to be charged room and board while incarcerated. They generally also charge for incidentals like phone calls and Internet use.

In addition to raising money, prison officials hope that by imposing fees they'll reduce demand for services, says Dr. Robert Greifinger, a former chief medical officer of the New York Department of Corrections who works as a correctional consultant.

But fees, even small ones, may not only deter prisoners from making requests for care that prison officials consider frivolous, they may also deter necessary care to keep chronic conditions in check or treat communicable diseases that could easily spread through crowded prisons.

Read the article in its entirety from NPR.com here: 
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/30/444451967/even-in-prison-health-care-often-comes-with-a-copay