The death rate among Pennsylvania prisoners has never been higher. The prison population is aging, becoming riddled with diseases and dying in startling numbers. It's a disgrace for a supposedly civilized society. Apparently prisoners aren't dying quickly enough to satisfy the administrators of Pennsylvania's Department of Imprisonment and the extremist (albeit dimwitted) Republican state legislature. Jeffrey Beard, boss of the Department of Imprisonment, has cooked up schemes which are sure to speed-up the dying. It's all part of his notion of ethics. He's very proud of it. Money is always a Republican's primary concern. Screw the people, screw morality; a dollar or a life? The Republican will always opt for the buck. With a prisoner's life it's even more so. Mr. Beard decided to make sick prisoners pay $10 to get treatment of illness. So you think that that doesn't sound so bad, here's a reality check. Because I'm old and already very sick, I'm alotted 72 cents a day, about $14.40 a month. That's my income, $14.40 a month! Should (as is likely) I get a new ailment, I'll be charges $5 (more than a third of my monthly income) to see a fake-doctor, a "physician assistant" who legally isn't supposed to be diagnosing illness in the first place. If the quack decides (as is likely) that I need medication, I'll be charged another $5. Should I need two medications which is not unusual for old man, I'm charged another $5 and so forth. I'm charged 2/3 of a month's wages for the sin of getting sick. What would that be in your case? What's your monthly income? What would 2/3 of it amount to? How would you like to be charged that much if you became ill? Last week I somehow injured my knee. I can't walk without pain and the risk of falling again. Do you think I went to the physician assistant? No way! I can't afford it. I don't think that that condition is life threatening, but many others are and many, many prisoners can't afford to seek medical help. They die for the sake of $10. I have no health insurance and cannot buy any. When I need more money (which is every week) my wife must contribute it. Jeffrey Beard's medical payment scheme is really a tax on my wife. For other prisoners, their needs are taxation on their families, generally the most impoverished families in the state. Mister Beard is so proud of his money-grabbing scheme that he brags about it to the grinning drones of our legislature. What do they care if prisoners die? They are without honor. They have free medical treatment and drugs paid for by the taxpayers. Jeffrey Beard isn't finished yet. He's got another money grubbing scheme; recycling medications. Suppose a fellow has a prescription, 30 days supply of a life-sustaining drug. To the delight of prison administrators, the prisoner patient dies. Some of his medication wasn't used. Beard's routine is to ship the medication back to Diamond Drug in Indiana, Pennsylvania. There it is recycled and issued to some other sick sucker. Obviously the medications are contaminated. Does Beard care? Get real! He's got lavish health care at taxpayers' expense. Obviously, recycled medications get mixed up, strengths become confused and the wrong things goes to the wrong person. Why should Mister Beard care? A dead prisoner is a good prisoner. It's all part of the scheme, isn't it? Recycling drugs is contrary to state and federal law for the very reason that it is inherently unsafe. What does Jeffy Beard care? He doesn't have to take recycled drugs. Selling used medications to prisoners saves a buck. That's what's important, money, not life. The Republicans in the state legislature redistribute the wealth saved from prisoners. They give it to themselves. They raise their own pay! The dead prisoners are incinerated. Diamond Pharmacy Services' Reply To our inquiry to the supplier of the prison medications, we were sent the following slightly edited explanation. It comes from Joan Zilner, the company president. In response to your correspondence, I assure you and your readers that we do not "recycle" medications. We do not take medications back from "sick prisoners" and redistribute them to other sick prisoners as stated on your website. We are a family-owned business, owned by my husband, my son and me, all pharmacists. It is our mission to provide the best pharmacy practices to our patients. We're in full compliance with all state and federal regulations. We have been inspected by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration], the DEA [Drug Enforcement Agency] and the PA State Board of Pharmacy on numerous occasions since taking over the Department of Corrections statewide contract. As stated by Secretary Beard, we are required to issue a partial credit as mandated in the RFP [Request for Proposal] released in 2003 on unused, sealed, uncontaminated medications that have been processed, but have not left the pharmacy. However, it is not necessary to reuse those returned medications to maintain our profitability on this or any other contract. Mrs. Zilner's reply continues at some length expressing how great the company is. We have no reason to question it. Rebecca's Bargain Antiques Collectible Vintage Photos Fine Prints - Old Maps Sheet Music - Old Books Elegant Antiques and Collectibles "The world's a bubble and the life of a man less than a span" Francis Lord Bacon (1561-1626) You are welcome to use or republish any of our material. Please give www.prisoners.com credit as the source. Return to the Public Enemies Menu Return to the Prison Medical Treatment Menu Return to the Main Menu. Go to our site's Search Engine Send us Your Comments or Input.