Prison Surgery should have limits
If past experience is any sort of guide, we can
conclude that any time the Federal Government gets involved in California affairs,
it costs the taxpayer a ton of money.
In 2011 the "Feds" claimed California's medical care of
prisoners was sub-standard. A subsequent
State Controller's report (July 5, 2011) revealed doctors, dentists and
psychiatrists with the federal receiver's office were, at that time, the highest paid state employees in
California. Two prison doctors made more
than $700,000 a year with several dozen topping $300,000 per year.
According to Jack Dolan (LA Times - March 4, 2011 news article) there is a semi-paralyzed inmate (Edward Ortiz) hospitalized in a S.F. bay area room with a breathing tube in his throat - tethered to a ventilator and steel shackles on his ankles with two round the clock guards to prevent his escape and a sergeant to supervise. Even if he could, why would this prisoner decide to flee? And yet California taxpayers are shelling out $800,000 per year for guard duty. But he is not alone, there are 25 "permanent" medically incapacitated inmates being treated at outside hospitals at a cost greater than $50 million and, of that, some $19 to $21million is for guards' salaries, benefits and overtime.
Recently, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar ruled the
California prison system ought not delay in providing "Transgender surgery" for
a 51 year old male inmate Jeffrey Bryan Norsworthy because this medical
procedure is urgent and critical to "her" health.
Even though transgender surgery might be considered
routine, why should the State of California Prison system pay for it? But more to the point, if there are no limits
placed on "elective" surgery, will others be tempted toward criminal behavior
in order to have the prison system pay for their medical alteration?