Certain types of medical care must be provided to you free of charge, but you may have to pay for others.
Free medical care
You should receive the same type of free medical care in prison as you would receive in the general community. According to the Imprisonment Code of Georgia you are entitled to the following medical care free of charge:
- all emergency medical care (including emergency dental care), whether the treatment takes place at a medical institution within or away from the prison
- all primary medical care provided by a prison doctor (general treatment by a prison doctor where specialist treatment is not needed)
- secondary medical care provided by a prison doctor
- the most effective medication that are allowed at prisons and prescribed by a prison doctor
- emergency and planned dental services (including: therapeutic; ambulatory surgery; orthopedic (removable prosthesis) counseling on oral hygiene and health)
- other specific state-paid medical care according to Georgian legislation, if it is necessary and prescribed by a doctor
Choice of paid treatment
The State does not have a duty to pay for all the types of medical care you may need. Therefore, the State is not obliged to pay for treatment that you wish to have which is medically unnecessary. It will only pay for the cheapest treatment and medicines that are prescribed by a doctor and are effective for your condition. However, in some circumstances you can invite your private doctor on your own expenses and based on the approval of the general director of the penitentiary service.
example If the doctor says that there are 3 different types of pills you could take and they are equally effective, the prison administration will provide the cheapest ones.
How to complain
If you believe that the medical care provided to you was insufficient or inappropriate, or you were asked to pay for medical care that should be free, you should submit a complaint. Georgian legislation offers different complaint mechanisms. Read more about how to complain.