Free Viagra for Sex Offenders!

You may have seen local newscasters in full outrage mode today, while teasing their nightly broadcast that features a story about 200 sex offenders who have recieved Viagra through their Medicaid program that's paid for by us. (The taxpayers, not the Austinist.)

As one official put it, "It's like handing a can of gasoline to an arsonist and providing the match to start the fire."

Austinist doesn't want to make the same convoluted comparison, but we have to admit - it is f-ed up.

They should have to pay for their viagra, like the rest of us!

From the Statesman:

Tuesday's actions came after federal officials confirmed Monday that confusion over a federal policy directive had resulted in Medicaid programs in several states furnishing Viagra for sex offenders. Federal officials immediately began notifying states that they were not required to offer those drugs to anyone who was a registered sex offender.

In Texas, Abbott said, records show that nearly 200 registered sex offenders received Viagra and other erectile-dysfunction drugs in recent years.

Officials could not immediately provide details about those offenders, how long they had been receiving the drugs through Medicaid or whether any had committed new sex crimes while receiving the drugs.