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Kenneth is a 55-year-old father of nine who isn't in very good health. He's already undergone one heart attack, has a pace-maker, and underwent triple bypass surgery last month. Unfortunately, the good people of New York are picking up the tab. That's because he's an inmate... Back in 1996, Pike was convicted of raping and sodomizing a 12-year-old relative. Though he's eligible for parole in 2013, his official release date isn't until 2035. Which means the state of New York has to cover his health bills. New York doesn't have much of a choice. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states have to reasonably cover inmates' health care. So Pike's been flown from a prison in Coxsackie to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, where he waits with 49 other patients for a donor heart. The final tab -- which includes surgery and 7 months in the hospital -- is expected to reach $800,000. The problem, of course, is that inmates receive much better care than people who never commit crimes and have to pay for insurance on their own or, just as likely, go without coverage altogether. So what do you think, dearest reader? Pike is expected to die without the surgery. And seeing as how we're supposed to be a humane country, isn't it the right thing to do to save his life? Then again, the Supreme Court has only ruled that inmates should have generally the same access to medicine as the public. Since about 20 percent of the public doesn't even have insurance, shouldn't the law essentially mean that we should allow 1 in 5 inmates to die, just like we do for law-abiding citizens?

they should really not write "reasonably" in a law. It's not a very specific word.

How's a normal person treated if they don't have a way to pay? It would seem if he can't pay for it then he should fit in the same category to me. Also, what type of insurance does the jail get.

He's probably gonna die anyways though no... he's 50th on a list. Hearts aren't that easy to come by is it?

its called being humane. since we have him detained the government has a right to treat him as a human while under its care. and they do have the same medicine as us. They all are under the insurance that covers the jails. i think allstate covers most prisons... but in not sure.

Well. If you were a heart donor, would you have allowed your heart to go... heartless?

what a joke. All i can say. What a joke.

not really, even a man convicted of such a crime does not deserve to die a death like he is expected to. Being humane isn't about agreeing with that is being done is right, rather doing what is right. I agree this man needs/deserves to die, but he also deserves to be treated since he detained is in our prison system's care. It is all a matter of prospective, and the fact the death penalty is illegal in most states now.

being humane (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humane) has nothing to do with this. Spending that kind of money on a rapist instead of helping the community is a joke. It is this kind of thinking that is degrading american society and sends the message their is no wrong that is to great to commit. How is society going to move forward when we reward rapists like this? He is getting above and beyond help that most non criminals would not be able to afford. I stand by what i said, its a joke.

While this link is for prisoners/detainees of war. Our prison system follows these guidelines typicallys. And really our hands are tied thanks to international regulation on treatment of prisoners.

Best way to solve this, reinstate the death penalty.

www.hsdl.org/?view&doc=70758&coll=limited

also, galaki how much of this is insurance paying for if you know? If taxpayers have already payed the insurance, then he should get what the insurance pays for... 

But, if the prison insurance is too good then it should be changed. And taxes will most likely not be reduced because  US is going into deficit oblivion. :D

im pretty sure this level of health care is rare. People are throwing out "omg $800,000" yet refuse to notice the millions spent in Libya.