ST. JOSEPH (AP) - Missouri's population of prisoners older than 50 has steadily increased over the last decade.
According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, the population of over-50 inmates has grown from 10.1 percent in 2004 to 17.5 percent in 2013.
George Lombardi, director of the department, says that prisoners, regardless of age, have a high risk of health issues due to their lifestyle choices, so adequate care must be provided.
Missouri periodically takes bids from private firms to provide health care.
The state currently has a contract with Corizon, a medical company formed by Correctional Medical and Prison Health Systems, that requires the department to pay $12.58 per day per prisoner. The department expects to pay about $146 million this year in expenses, according to department spokesman David Owen. Competition drove down the daily care price, so now there is a flat fee paid for each prisoner regardless of whether they are healthy or not.
The rise of the aging population has also led to the introduction of pre-hospice programs, where fellow inmates are selected and trained to assist their ill cellmates. Three enhanced care units are operated with Corizon.
"On a recent prison inspection, I asked an inmate why he was providing care for his cellmate and his answer pretty well explains why this program works," Lombardi said.
"The man said at some point, he'd be in this situation and he wanted to be treated the same way."
The department is working with the Palliative Care Association to develop a teaching curriculum for prison staff and inmates so they can assist patients entering hospice care.