Inmates were assured this month that they have the right to the same medical care as any law-abiding citizen after a 31-year-old California prisoner received a court ordered heart transplant on January 3, 2002. The question of how far the medical field should go to assure proper health care for prisoners has been debated for years, but corrections officials say they now must follow the court's mandate until told otherwise.

Healthcare professionals believe the number of prisoners requesting transplants will rise this decade. A spokesperson for the National Commission on Correctional Health Care said that because of the high number of Hepatitis C infected prisoners, liver transplant requests should steadily increase. California prison administrators say the two-time felon's heart transplant may end up costing taxpayers over $1 million.