Corrections health chief cites rising medication costs, outlines tattoo-removal plan and treatment priorities

Dr. Stephanie Grama, Correctional Health Authority for the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told the Appropriations - Human Resources Division committee that rising medication and specialty-treatment costs and an aging incarcerated population are driving increases in the department's medical budget and described plans to partner with local clinics to provide tattoo removal for people in custody.

Grama said hepatitis C treatment and high-cost biologic and cancer medications are major drivers of spending. "We've actually decreased our incidence on admission of hepatitis C from 16.7 percent in 2018 down to about 11 and a half percent now," she said, describing progress from treatment efforts while warning that treatment costs upfront are large but avert higher costs from complications later.

She told committee members the department did not request tattoo-removal equipment for the current biennium because of equity and operational concerns: purchased equipment would be housed at the North Dakota State Penitentiary, an all-male facility, effectively excluding women from an…