The BOP provides healthcare services to incarcerated persons. However, the care may not always be enough. That can be a stressful situation. If your loved one is in prison, you may worry about them getting the care they need. You might wonder if you can pay for your loved one to get better healthcare while they are in prison. However, no matter who pays for healthcare in prison, only the BOP can provide those services.
Do all incarcerated persons get healthcare?
Yes. Prisons have to provide healthcare. They provide medical and dental care. People in prison will also have access to mental health care. Prison staff will decide what class of healthcare an incarcerated person needs when they put in a request.
Is healthcare in prisons free?
No. Incarcerated persons may face copays for certain medical services. This can lead to many incarcerated persons avoiding getting the care they need. They may decide not to see a doctor or pay for medicine simply because they don’t have the money.
What can you do if you think your loved one is being denied basic healthcare?
There are ways that you can help them get the basic healthcare from the prison. You cannot sue the prison on your loved one’s behalf. But you can help them keep records and file complaint forms. Keeping records can help you if your loved one needs to make a complaint.
Can you pay for your loved one to get better healthcare in prison?
No. People are not eligible for private health insurance while in jail or prison. The care the BOP provides is the only care they will generally receive. However, there are only some cases in which they can get care outside of the prison or from other professionals. A prison may allow this when they decide someone’s medical condition is severe.
Some laws penalize people who did not have health insurance. Your loved one will not, however, face penalties for not having private or public health insurance.
What if your loved one has not been convicted of a crime?
If your loved one has not been convicted of a crime, they can still sign up for certain health insurance. This applies whether your loved one is in jail or prison.
What if you want to renew their private health insurance plan they had before prison?
It depends. If your loved one is incarcerated for a long amount of time, they may have to renew their policy upon release. However, if they are only incarcerated for a short amount of time, then they may not have to renew their policy.
The Takeaway:
Generally, you cannot buy better healthcare for your loved one in prison. The basic healthcare provided by the BOP is generally the only healthcare they have while in prison. However, they may get healthcare from outside of prison or other professionals if their condition is severe enough. You may be able to keep private insurance if you have not ben convicted yet, though. And you may also have to renew it upon release.
