[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 112 (Monday, July 8, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E698-E699]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INTRODUCTION OF THE FAIRNESS IN FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS MEDICAL CARE 
                              ACT OF 2024

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, July 8, 2024

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce the Fairness in Federal 
Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2024. This bill would eliminate 
the copay the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) imposes on individuals in 
its custody when they visit a health care provider.
  Under BOP rules, individuals in its custody are required to ``pay a 
fee for health services of $2.00 per health care visit.'' While $2 may 
seem insignificant, when such individuals earn only twelve to forty 
cents per hour on their work assignments, $2 is substantial. That money 
could better be used to pay for the cost of necessities. Moreover, 
while copays can reduce unnecessary appointments, we should be 
encouraging such individuals to seek medical care before their 
conditions become worse and more expensive for taxpayers. Early care is 
better for patients and much less expensive for the federal government 
than costly treatments that could have been avoided by a simple health 
care visit earlier in the process.
  Under BOP rules, if an individual in BOP custody is found responsible 
through the Disciplinary Hearing Process of having caused an injury to 
another person in BOP custody that required a visit to a health care 
provider, the offending individual is required to pay the $2 copay for 
the injured individual's visit. That rule would not change under this 
bill.
  Removing this unnecessary copay would encourage early treatment and 
would save the federal government money.

[[Page E699]]

  I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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