New Orleans hospitals seek money for prisoner care

Lousiana's charity hospitals need an additional $51 million in the 2009 budget to cover the cost of treating prisoners, paying doctors' salaries, and making equipment purchases that are not covered by federal indigent-care payments, according to Louisiana State University officials. The hospitals will have to dip into their maintenance budgets and delay some hires and service expansions if the money does not become available, said the officials.