Do Inmates Get Free Health Care

Do inmates get free health care? Whether we like it or not the courts have ruled that while inmates are incarcerated they have a constitutional right to basic medical care. “When the inmate arrives at the jail, the goal is to keep the inmate as healthy as possible, and attempt to keep them from deteriorating medically during their stay. Significant awards from lawsuits can result at any deliberate indifference by the Sheriff or jail staff on medical issues.” (Elkhart County Sheriff, 2011)

“You're not considered incarcerated if you're in jail or prison pending dispositions of charges— in other words, being held but not convicted of a crime.” (Incarcerated people, 2012)

While in jail inmates use their electronic kiosks in their area to “email”

medical staff if they need to see a doctor or nurse. “No inmate will be denied medical care because of their inability to pay. With the arrival of the Affordable Healthcare Act and all of its confusion, it is yet to be seen how this will impact inmate medical costs for the county budget.” (Elkhart County Sheriff, 2011)
As of 2011, state spending was about $7.7 billion for correctional health care accounting for about one-fifth of total prison expenditures.

(Health Coverage, 2015)

I am partially against inmates receiving health care because everyone should be entitled to health care if needed. I do not agree that the country should have to pay for it. If you compare an incarcerated person to a geriatric patient in a nursing home, incarcerated people have it better off.

“Here is some food for thought…We should place the elderly in prisons. They will get a shower a day, video surveillance in case of problems, three meals a day, access to a library, computer, TV, gym, doctor on-site, free medication if needed.” (Elderly vs Jail, 2012)

“Put criminals in nursing homes. They have cold meals, lights off at 7pm, two showers a week, live in a smaller room and pay rent at $4,000 a month!!! It’s pretty sad that we treat prisoners better than the elderly.” (Elderly vs Jail, 2012)

I found the article above and it put my thought process to ease. I feel as if I am right in my rationalization about health care and the government. In 2012, in the state of New York their cost of housing a prisoner was almost $60,000; ($59,237). The average median household income was $50,000. The state of New York was paying $10,000 more to house one inmate than the average American family grosses with two people working. (Prisoners,

2012)
The story is an example of my rationale about inmates receiving free health care for committing a crime and elderly have to pay. The guy was going to put his dad in a nursing home. The cost was about $4,000 a month, which is on the lower side of nursing home prices. That’s approximately $48,000 a year.
“$48,000 per year for someone who has been a valuable and contributing member of society his whole life.” (Prisoners, 2012) The guy’s dad had spent 6 years in the US Navy (1940-1946), all during World War II. “A man helping defend this country, and now men and women who commit crimes and gave up their rights to walk the streets of our nation get better treatment at a higher cost than him.” (Prisoners, 2012)
Free healthcare for inmates I think is not right. They should have to pay into it after they are out or “work” in the prison to pay for health care. The words of wisdom above are right, this country is not fair. “Our elderly, many of whom were responsible for building our nation to its greatness, deserve to be better cared for in their later years than prisoners.” They gave up their rights by violating the law.