Introduction of the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026

Floor Speech

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Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Fairness in Federal Bureau of Prisons Medical Care Act of 2026. 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, individuals in BOP custody earn only twelve to forty cents per hour on their work assignments. Moreover, while copays can reduce unnecessary visits, we should be encouraging individuals in BOP custody to seek medical care before their conditions worsen and become more expensive for taxpayers. Preventive and early care are better for patients and taxpayers than costly treatments.

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.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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