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Lawmakers press DOC on $5 inmate co‑pay, DOC warns of staffing costs if waived
Summary
Legislators questioned whether the $5 inmate co‑pay creates a barrier to care after DOC testimony said waiving the fee previously caused a 25–42% surge in sick‑call use and would require roughly $15 million or more to hire additional practitioners to meet demand.
Lawmakers questioned Department of Corrections officials on whether the statutory $5 co‑payment for inmate sick calls limits access to necessary care and what budgetary changes would be required to eliminate or reduce it.
Representative Codd, who said she is a nurse practitioner, noted that typical inmate wages are about $0.23 per hour and argued that a $5 fee can represent multiple days of labor, creating a financial barrier to care.…
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