MIM Notes No. 197	 December 1, 1999

Ohio prisoner forced to pay; denied medical care

This is the text of a grievance filed for lack of medical care.

Ross Correctional Institution's Inmate Hospital and nurse Dixie Chaney 
fail to address my medical problem, and continue to charge me $3.00 for 
every visit for the same medical problem. The nurse is required by law 
to address my medical problem under the "Standards of Safe Nursing 
Care." I am also a patient under the Bill of Patients' Rights.

I only receive a little Tylenol per visit; I am being deprived of my 
right as a patient to receive adequate medical care, to find out what is 
wrong with me.

Therefore, RCI's Inmate Hospital is deceiving me as a patient by 
neglecting to address my medical condition, in violation of Ohio Revised 
Code S2913.02(A)(3) This is "Theft by Deception" by charging me $3 for 
the same ongoing condition which they failed to address the first time.

Doctors and Nurses would go to jail, as well as lose their license from 
the Medical Boards, if they were to treat citizens in society like this. 
This is a prime example of fraud. I am paying for medical service, IHS 
fails to conform to the minimum standards of care, assumes my condition 
is all in my head, just hands me 20 Tylenol as a cure, or Mylanta for 
all stomach ailments, thus not addressing my medical issue in accordance 
with the State Medical Board and State Nursing Board's code of ethics of 
looking out for the best interest of the patient (me). Excessively 
charging me over and over is like Medicaid Fraud paying for something 
you never received, which is totally illegal.

My medical issue is this cyst/lump, or possibly cancer [on my temple], 
and not my wallet. Is the RCI policy that after five trips to the doctor 
at $3 a trip my medical issue will be addressed as required by law on 
the first visit?

[The official to whom I first complained] says that this treatment is 
considered "appropriate," as well as the $3.00 per visit just to receive 
20 Tylenol, and no diagnosis of what is on my temple. Technically, this 
official is not qualified to decide what falls below the minimum 
standards of care, as s/he does not carry an MD. Therefore, the 
grievance procedure is futile on this issue.

Do I have to wait till [this lump/cyst] spreads, which jeopardizes my 
health more, which shows more negligence on the prison's part? I as a 
patient value my health, but RCI's IHS sure   does not.

--An Ohio Prisoner