This story/situation makes me (burp) angry!

My topic today is acid reflux. I have it, and so does Michigan inmate Mr. R.  The thing is, I can do something about it. He, on the other hand, is having his share of problems. 

Here’s the story. 

Mr. R has been treated for his reflux problem, while in prison, for the past 20 years. That came about after hospital tests revealed that he was suffering from a hiatal hernia. But the other day, out of the blue, the nurse practitioner informed him that she’s getting pressured by her superiors to take patients off the medication (Zantac and Pepcid), and instruct them to buy it from the prisoner store. 

His prescription ran out at the end of October, and medical care now refuses to renew it. “Get it from the prisoner store.” 

(Mr. R says that, a year ago, this same medical practitioner took away his migraine prescription and gave him Tylenol!) 

Here’s why HFP is getting involved, and here’s why this is such a big deal. At the prisoner store, he’ll have to pay $4.86 for 8 Pepcid tablets! So what we have here is a 60-year-old resident of the Michigan prison system belching and vomiting due to severe acid reflux, who earns approximately $5 a week at his prison job. He has to come up with a $5 co-pay to even visit health care, where---instead of helping---they cut off his medicine, and then insist that he pay another 5-bucks for 8 tablets. That will last him 4 days! It’s going to cost him $36.00 a month. He doesn’t make that kind of money. He doesn’t have that kind of money. 

It's rotten! Our team is working with the Michigan Department of Corrections Ombudsman on this. We’ve started a spread sheet, and we now have found at least 7 more similar cases. We’re going to try to relieve that heartburn! 

Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn! 

Robert Burns

 

 

Comments

Unknown said…
I went without acid reflux medication for nearly a year at the Brooks Correctional Facility back in 2001/2002 for the very same reason. What was available in the prisoner store did nothing to address my reflux. None of the over-the-counter meds worked. It was not until I contacted the local prosecutor to see if the circumstances rose to the level of assault since they knew the physical harm not providing me with prescription strength meds would provide. Apparently, health care officials were contacted about it, because shortly after I "visiting" doctor called me over to health care and asked me what I wanted. I told her and it was provided from that day forward. It's a shame when things like this happen, but nowadays, it's the norm in Michigan's prison system.
December 8, 2022 at 11:54 AM
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