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DOC To Move Forward With Prison Health Privatization
July 18, 2012
The Florida Department of Corrections said late Tuesday it will move ahead with a plan to privatize prison health services, after a judge declined to resolve a legal fight about the issue.
The decision could lead to more legal wrangling, as the Florida Nurses Association and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have fought state attempts to contract with private companies for the services.
Corrections Secretary Ken Tucker said in a prepared statement that the changes will save money. Corizon, Inc., will receive a contract to provide the services in north and central Florida, while Wexford Health Sources will receive a contract for the southern part of the state.
“It’s a decision that’s best for the taxpayers,” Tucker said. “This step will allow us to provide the same services we currently have, which meet state and federal standards, while saving money for the taxpayers. This step will be a cost savings in excess of 7 percent using private vendors.”
But Don Slesnick, an attorney for the Florida Nurses Association, said the department is hurting state employees.
“It doesn’t shock me,” Slesnick said. “It disappoints me that the state is that devious and the DOC is being that anti-employee.”
Lawmakers last year included fine print in the state budget that called for privatizing inmate health services. But the nurses association and AFSCME challenged the constitutionality of using the budget fine print, known as proviso language, to make such a change.
Leon County Circuit Judge Kevin Carroll, however, declined this month to rule on the constitutional question because the proviso language expired with the June 30 end of the state fiscal year. That left unclear whether — or how — the privatization would take place.
State attorneys have argued that the Department of Corrections has the legal authority to privatize health services, even without the proviso language. But attorneys for the nurses association and AFSCME last week filed motions seeking a rehearing before Carroll — a move that could provide an avenue for a continued challenge.
Ann Howard, a Department of Corrections spokeswoman, said it was not immediately clear how soon contracts could be signed with Corizon and Wexford. After the contracts are executed, the department said it expects the changes to take place during a 90- to 120-day transition period and that current employees will be able to interview for jobs.
“We still will continue to work with our employees and seek the best solutions for them and the inmates we serve,” Tucker said. “Change isn’t easy, and we know that it can sometimes be unsettling; however, the hard work of our employees is greatly appreciated and recognized.”
Privatization of state jobs is highly controversial, at least in part because workers worry they will see reductions in benefits and pay if they go to work for contractors. AFSCME Florida Council 79 President Jeanette Wynn issued a statement criticizing Gov. Rick Scott and the decision to move forward with the privatization plan.
“Governor Rick Scott is not above the law, he cannot charge ahead with this scheme to funnel more of our tax dollars to his big business buddies without the input from the Florida Legislature or the legal system,” the union president said.
By The News Service of Florida
Pictured: The medical unit at Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
10 Responses to “DOC To Move Forward With Prison Health Privatization”
Are they insane? Privatizing prison health care has been tried several times in Florida and has failed every time with disastrous consequences.
Albert Einstein, “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Really?
Where’s the public DOC competitive proposal? Could Florida REALLY do it as well as a private company??
Two points:
First, Gov Scott is doing exactly what he said he would do if elected. Lowering the cost to the citizens of Florida. If this action was affecting jobs that where not local most would be applauding him. The fact the it affects most in our area because we have worked or know someone whom works at DOC we are appalled.
Second, I am personally against “Privatization” because I fail to see how a company can do anything that a State could not. If fact I feel a State should be able to operate at a substantially lower cost the any company.
This privatization idea is not new, therefore it is not all of Governor Scott’s idea. I worked at the prison from 1997 to 2000 as Medical Secretary Specialist, privatization was talked about during that time. The medical staff has had this issue over their head for a long time. I’ll be praying for everyone working in the Medical Department! If I could get a basket of candy to you I would!
There’s a horrible idea. Privatize anything the government could be and should be doing at cost will be more expensive for tax payers as these services that were about health are now going to be about profit and additional paperwork.
The more these Corporatist privatize our government the more of a Fascist Nation America becomes, obligated to share holders & profit while the rule of Law & Liberty are disregarded.
Welcome to the Corporatist Plutocracy of America.
And no, that doesn’t mean I think government should run everything, but there are jobs that the private sector should not be doing and this is one of them.
I hope everyone that voted Mr. 71 times “I refuse to answer on the grounds it may incriminate me”..is happy.
Corrections Secretarty Tucker put out goals and initiatives that he wants implemented when he was appointed. One of these is to improve the public image of the department. To me its very ironic to want to improve the public image of the department and then hand over the medical contract to a company, whos name alone, is synonymous with the worst inmate neglect cases in the history of the modern prison system ( Corizon formerly CMS). If you have a loved one or relative in prison, particularly if they have a serious medical problem, you should be very alarmed about this.
One has to wonder how much money our great Governor Scott will make on this deal. His wife owns the company doing the drug testing for welfare/state employees…hmmmmm wonder who owns this company? (sarcasm)
Does anyone remember what Rick Scott did before becoming Governor?? He owned a hospital chain that defrauded billions from the federal government. Have any of you wondered why he has forced this through even after the majority of the people expressed that they did not want privatization of prisons, to include health care and mental health care. Could it be that this will be a return on the 73 million dollar investment he made to win his current office?
We should not have for profit prisons. We should not incentivize jailing people for profit.
We should instead be doing all we can to prevent people from ending up in jail. If they are on drugs then get them programs they need to get off drugs.