The cost of keeping them there
People in prison are not eligible for federal health insurance programs, meaning Pennsylvania taxpayers bear the full cost of caring for incarcerated people with medical needs.
The Department of Corrections spent $2.3 billion last fiscal year to feed, house, and provide medical care for people living in Pennsylvania prisons.
$204 million, or roughly 9%, of that went to Laurel Highlands and Waymart, the state’s two prisons for people with long-term physical and mental health needs.
People with serious or chronic conditions cost more to care for on average.
The Department of Corrections spent an average of $59,598 per person last fiscal year.
But that number nearly doubled to $112,625 per person at Laurel Highlands, which houses 843 people with serious health needs.
The current system
Pennsylvania’s current compassionate release program has been on the books for 13 years.
In that time, only 31 people have successfully petitioned to leave prison because of serious illness.
Since 2016, eight people have died while waiting for a judge to hear their petition to leave prison for better medical care.