According to the eighth amendment of United States constitution, states are required to provide inmates with medical care. This requirement makes state-run prison healthcare ineligible for federal reimbursement.
Unable to reduce healthcare costs, many states have opted to release high cost sick and elderly prisoners early.
By placing inmates in private nursing homes, states receive federal healthcare reimbursement through the Medicaid program. This takes away limited Medicaid resources from vulnerable groups, particularly struggling families and leads to cuts in critical mental health services.
Federal subsidizing of state prison healthcare does not solve rising healthcare costs and aging prison populations.
Please visit www.medicalparole.com for more information.