Who Pays For Inmate Medical Care in Virginia?
Full Question:
Answer:
Medical services (physician and nursing) are provided at all institutions within the Department of Corrections. Generally, medical care for inmates is paid for by the state. Some jails have established medical treatment programs where inmates contribute to the costs. Inmate co-payments for medical services are a set fee that covers only a portion of the costs of the services. The medical co-payments should directly off set the costs for medical programs. For example, the Roanoke City Jail operates a Medical Co-Payment Program under the authority of the Code of Virginia. Inmates pay a co-payment for various medical services such as dental visits, sick call, jail/other doctor visits and prescription handling fees. However, medical care is never refused to an inmate because of inability to pay. These co-payments are utilized as a source to off-set the rising costs of medical care.
For further information, please see:
http://jlarc.virginia.gov/reports/Rpt154.pdf
http://www.prisonhealth.com/
http://www.vadoc.state.va.us/offenders/institutions/programs/medical.shtm
Please see the following Va statutes to determine applicability:
§ 53.1-7. Board may authorize payment of certain medical expenses. —
The Board may authorize the payment of medical expenses incurred by a
prisoner after his release or discharge from the Department when such
expenses are the result of an injury suffered by the prisoner while
incarcerated and not caused by the misconduct of the prisoner.
§ 53.1-40.8. Fees and expenses. —
A. Any special justice, as defined in § 37.2-100, and any district
court substitute judge who presides over hearings pursuant to the
provisions of §§ 53.1-40.1 and 53.1-40.2 shall receive a fee as provided in
§ 37.2-804 for each commitment hearing under § 53.1-40.2 and each
proceeding under § 53.1-40.1 ruling on competency or treatment and his
necessary mileage. However, if the commitment hearing under § 53.1-40.2
and the proceeding under § 53.1-40.1 are combined for hearing or are
heard on the same day, only one fee shall be allowed.
B. Every physician or clinical psychologist who is not regularly
employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia who is required to serve as a
witness for the Commonwealth in any proceeding under this article shall
receive a fee as provided in § 37.2-804 for each commitment hearing in
which he serves. Other witnesses regularly summoned before a judge under
the provisions of this article shall receive such compensation for their
attendance and mileage as is allowed witnesses summoned to testify before
grand juries.
C. Every attorney appointed under this article shall receive a fee as
provided in § 37.2-804 for each commitment hearing under § 53.1-40.2 and
each proceeding under § 53.1-40.1 for which he is appointed. However, if
the commitment hearing under § 53.1-40.2 and the proceeding under
§ 53.1-40.1 are combined for hearing or are heard on the same day, only one
fee shall be allowed.
D. Except as hereinafter provided, all expenses incurred, including the
fees, attendance, and mileage aforesaid, shall be paid by the
Commonwealth. Any such fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection
with an examination or hearing for an admission pursuant to § 53.1-40.2
or in connection with a proceeding under § 53.1-40.1, when paid by the
Commonwealth, shall be recoverable by the Commonwealth from the prisoner
who is the subject of the examination, hearing, or proceeding or from his
estate. Such collection or recovery may be undertaken by the Department.
All such fees, costs, and expenses, if collected or recovered by the
Department, shall be refunded to the Commonwealth. No such fees or costs
shall be recovered, however, from the prisoner or his estate when no good
cause for his admission exists or when the recovery would create an undue
financial hardship.
§ 53.1-34. Treatment of prisoner with contagious disease. —
The Director may, upon the application of the person in charge of any
state correctional facility who has been requested in writing so to do by
the physician at such facility, have removed from such facility any
prisoner therein who has contracted any contagious or infectious disease
dangerous to the public health to some place to be designated by the
Director. When any prisoner is so removed, he shall be safely kept and
treated for such disease and, as soon as he recovers his health, be
returned to such facility unless the term of his imprisonment has
expired, in which event he shall be discharged, but not until all danger
of his spreading contagion has passed. Expenses incurred by reason of
this section shall be borne by the Commonwealth.
§ 53.1-32.01. Payment for bodily injury. —
The Board is authorized to establish administrative procedures for
recovering from an inmate the cost for medical treatment of a bodily
injury that is inflicted intentionally on any person by the inmate. Such
administrative procedures shall ensure that the inmate is afforded due
process.