A lack of healthcare in prison is pain beyond punishment

Legislative Fellow

Alivia Seard

Healthcare is dominating the American psyche. According to a Gallup poll released at the end of March, 61% of Americans worry “a great deal” about affording and accessing healthcare.

Yet, for some Americans, uncertainty surrounding their health is nothing new. Earlier this month, the Connecticut Insider reported that many incarcerated individuals have waited months or even years to receive medical care despite having demonstrated life-threatening ailments. As weeks compounded, a potential hernia went unconfirmed; an IUD, unremoved; a heart condition, unassessed.

The consequences? Agonizing pain, debilitating fear, and in some cases, death.

These tragedies do not have to continue. Connecticut has the chance to literally save lives by passing H.B. 5474 this legislative session. Introduced by the Government Oversight Committee, the bill would ensure that inmates in Connecticut receive physical exams annually and obtain physical and mental health care efficiently.

Equally as important, this bill promotes what is lacking in facilities across the state: accountability. Any delays in medical care would be documented, explained, and reviewed, and incarcerated individuals would have the ability to provide feedback without fear of retaliation. In short, H.B. 5474 is an opportunity for the State Legislature to uphold their public health responsibility to all Connecticut citizens. There is no question that they must take it.

To be clear, the carceral landscape that makes this bill necessary is not unique to Connecticut. From excruciating cancer pain in Arizona to bed sores in Alabama, stories of inadequate medical care in carceral facilities can be found across the country.

There are several possible explanations for this phenomenon. Prisons and jails are overpopulated and severely understaffed. And while facilities are not underfunded per se — departments of correction collectively spent $8.1 billion on prison medical services in the 2015 fiscal year alone — the amount of money allocated to each incarcerated individual varies significantly from state to state.

But what perhaps is the most pernicious underlying factor of this issue is medical deliberate indifference, the idea that many of those in prisons and jails are intentionally not provided care.

To say that this dehumanization is problematic is a huge understatement. Frankly, people are people; everyone deserves to have their humanity respected through medical attention. Beyond the moral appeal, though, medical deliberate indifference is an affront to the American ethos.

Death from purposeful neglect rejects both the pro-life and anti-death penalty doctrines. When this intentional perpetuation of suffering is institutionalized, it violates the Eighth Amendment as cruel and unusual punishment. And when medical deliberate indifference functions essentially as extrajudicial action, the integrity of our justice system is jeopardized, affecting all of us, whether we’re in prison or not.

H.B. 5474 is an acknowledgement of all of these positions. It also addresses another crucial point: for the nearly 5,000 people who are released from prison annually, the importance of medical care persists beyond correctional walls.

If passed, H.B. 5474 would help qualified recipients apply for Medicaid coverage before they leave their facility, establishing continuity of care. This component of the bill clearly supports formerly-incarcerated individuals who are especially vulnerable to health complications, but it also benefits the general public: Medicaid access for those who were imprisoned reduces recidivism and increases public safety. By helping eligible formerly-incarcerated people receive Medicaid, the bill invests in the future of Connecticut rather than only addressing the present.

If investing in Connecticut’s future and protecting American ideals is valuable to you and your loved ones, contact your representative and urge them to vote in favor of H.B. 5474. Articulate that Connecticut has the opportunity to be a leader nationally and an advocate locally. Emphasize the necessity of “justice for all.” Let us not fail those who have been sentenced or forget our shared humanity.

Photo credit: Unsplash

April 10, 2026