MEDICAL SCHOOL SEEKS MORE PRISON CARE FUNDS

Officials at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, which
cares for 80% of the state's 150,000 inmates, said Thursday that recent
budget cuts have undermined the quality of health care. UTMB has
eliminated hepatitis B vaccines and cut staffing at prisons from 24 hours
to 12. At the same time, prison hospital admissions rose 13.5% and the
overall prison population is aging. Ben G. Raimer, a UTMB vice president,
said the prison system could open itself to lawsuits if health care
worsens. UTMB is asking the Legislature for an additional $32 million.