In Pennsylvania state prisons, incarcerated individuals typically earn between 23  and 35  per hour. Under current policy, they are charged a $5 co-pay for certain medical visits. At those wages, $5 represents nearly a week of earnings.
 
In practice, this means access to care can depend on whether someone has money in their account. Those with financial support can seek care right away. Those without it face a real barrier and are more likely to delay treatment, even when they need it.
 
While correctional facilities are constitutionally required to provide medical care, financial barriers can delay people from seeking treatment. Delayed care leads to more serious illness, higher long-term costs, emergency transfers, and greater risk of communicable disease within facilities. That affects incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, and the broader community.
 
Pennsylvania’s co-pay is significantly higher than the federal prison system’s co-pay, even though incarcerated workers in both systems earn similarly low wages.
 
This legislation reduces the medical co-pay from $5 to $1 for non-emergency, inmate-initiated visits. It preserves accountability while ensuring the fee is more proportional to wages earned. Existing protections guaranteeing that care cannot be denied due to inability to pay remain unchanged.
 
Please join us in co-sponsoring this commonsense reform.