HEALTHCARE IN THE UNITED STATES
SPECIAL POPULATIONS
others upon their return to society. Chronic conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke, are most reported by prison inmates (CDC, 2019e). In addition, Healthy People (2019) note, “when compared to the general population, men and women with a history of incarceration are in worse mental and physical health” (para. 3.).
Individuals in prison, correctional facilities, and city or county jails receive medical care through Correctional Health Programs for minor aches and pains, medication regimens, or surgery if necessary. Generally speaking, persons incarcerated in a city jail have healthcare paid for the city. For those inmates in a county jail, the county pays for healthcare. Inmates residing in state penitentiaries have healthcare paid for by the state. And lastly, federal prisoner’s healthcare is paid for by the federal government.
Many correctional health programs now assess a copay for services if an inmate requires medical care (Sawyer, 2017). In some states, inmates can earn a wage for work completed while in custody and bank this money for spending on commissary items or healthcare. However, some inmates earn less than a dollar an hour for work while incarcerated. This nominal wage would be depleted if a copay for healthcare were required because most inmates are “impoverished and earn little to no money for their work in prisons” (Bertram, 2019, para. 2.). For states in which no inmate wages are earned, copays could deter inmates from seeking healthcare altogether. Basically, inmates would have to prioritize healthcare, and the choice to not see a health provider could hurt not only the inmate but the public as well.
Pause and Reflect
Some will say healthcare is a right, yet incarcerated individuals may not receive
ongoing preventative healthcare due to budget cuts or lack of services. The
impact of low or no healthcare is the spread of communicable diseases, such
as tuberculosis, through the inmate population and chronic diseases, such as
diabetes, that may be poorly managed. These conditions could lead to disability
upon release from the prison system, leading to an extended or lifetime use of
Medicare or Medicaid services. In light of the impact on individuals, inmate
population, and ultimately the community, is it a good idea to fully fund
treatment for inmates while incarcerated? What are the pros and cons, as you
see it?
7.9 COVID-19 VIRUS AND SPECIAL POPULATIONS
By now the entire world is familiar with the virus, COVID-19. An infection with the virus may include symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The severity of symptoms from the virus depends on an individual’s immune system. The virus spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs or
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