Illinois has awarded a more than $4 billion prison medical care contract to the same company it’s used for three decades, despite multimillion-dollar lawsuits against the firm and statewide complaints alleging substandard care.
Pittsburgh-based Wexford Health Sources was one of two companies responding to a request for proposals from the Illinois Department of Corrections, but it was not the low bidder. Wexford’s offer came in $673 million higher than one from VitalCore Health Strategies of Topeka, Kansas, according to a procurement announcement reviewed Friday by The Associated Press.
The initial term of Wexford’s contract is five years for $1.956 billion, with a five-year renewal worth $2.201 billion.
State officials’ decisions on contract awards are not based on cost alone. But Wexford has also been roundly criticized for its performance, facing numerous multimillion-dollar lawsuits that accuse the company of delayed or shoddy health care and backlash for relying on off-site doctors to determine whether and what treatment is necessary. Positions for medical professionals continue to suffer high vacancy rates.
It’s kind of a viscous cycle. Politicians have convinced themselves, and lots of voters, that private industry is cheaper than “government run.” They forget that the only time that might be true when there’s sufficient competition in the market to drive costs down - which there usually isn’t. They also forget that private companies’ motive is profit, not rehabilitation. In fact, rehabilitation is the last thing they want. You’ll find that private correctional companies often lobby pretty hard for stricter laws, and tougher sentencing guidelines. Now, why do you think these companies would want MORE people in prisons!?