Although prisoners are 10 times more likely to be infected with hepatitis C than the general public, only about half on average were tested for the disease, an audit of Colorado’s prison health-care system found.
The 54-page audit released Thursday also says that the state loses more than $500,000 a year by not charging prison inmates a $5 co-payment for clinic visits.
In addition, the audit says many inmates never receive health examinations when they enter the prison system and that the average cost for providing health care ranges from $500 to $5,800 per patient annually.
The system also is plagued by poor record keeping and the use of medications that are outdated and more costly than newer products, state officials told members of the Legislative Audit Committee on Thursday at the state Capitol.
While Colorado Department of Corrections medical staff members agreed with most of the findings, they added that they began addressing many of the problems last year.
“Good quality of health care now will negate costs in the future,” said Barry Pardus, assistant director of clinical services for the Department of Corrections.
Auditors reviewed the medical records of 99 male and female inmates and found that 51 were not screened when they were sent to the Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center, where all inmates go after their convictions.
Of the 17 inmates who were at high risk for hepatitis, nine were not tested.
“Hepatitis is a very serious ailment, and most of the time, inmates don’t know they have it,” said Sen. Deanna Hanna, D-Lakewood.
Pardus said the clinic at the DRDC was designed to receive 15 patients a day, and it has been receiving 45. He said the department has been affected by budget-related layoffs of more than 70 health-care workers.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
