SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) - Inmates at a Southern California jail must now pay $3 to turn their head a cough.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department says inmates will begin paying the fee next year when they ask to see a nurse.
The copay-type charge is designed to curb frivolous visits that can tie up deputies and medical staff.
The $3 fee will be deducted from inmate commissary accounts used to purchase such items as toothbrushes and snacks. If there's no money in the account, they get free medical attention.
Health care demands have been soaring at the three county jails housing 6,600 inmates.
The Orange County Register says more than 260,000 inmates have sought medical attention this year, up from 190,000 five years ago.
The Board of Supervisors approved the fee last week.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
