6 medical copays block health care access in Mississippi prisons / Public News Service
Medical copays in prison could be keeping people who are incarcerated from seeking the health care they need.
The latest review showed Mississippi charges $6 per medical visit, which is more than most incarcerated people earn in a week.
Wanda Bertram, communication strategist for the Prison Policy Initiative, said the copay may seem modest, but even $5 is unaffordable for some behind bars.
"If you are sick and you want to go to the doctor, you're going to have to work for hours and hours to afford this $5 copay," Bertram pointed out. "Never mind that many people who sick are probably not able to work or find that to be a serious hardship on them."
Mississippi Department of Corrections policy allows $6 copay waivers only for prenatal care, clinic visits for chronic conditions, if staff-approved, and public health emergencies. The department said it prevents system abuse.
Bertram stressed copay waivers are often bogged down with restrictions, discouraging people from seeking care. She noted the financial burden frequently falls on families of those behind bars.
"You're basically charging usually working-class people, low-income people, to support their loved ones inside," Bertram emphasized. "It has a cost burden that ripples out into the non-incarcerated population."
The policy forces some incarcerated people, especially those with chronic conditions, to self-diagnose or forgo care. Bertram linked it to broader systemic issues.
"It reflects an attitude that the prison system has, that incarcerated people are seeking care for frivolous things, for superficial issues," Bertram observed. "When really, incarcerated people face a wide variety of chronic illnesses and health problems, many of which stem from the prison environment."
