State agency confirms: Iowa ends pursuit of privatizing prison health care

DES MOINES — The state corrections department confirmed Wednesday it would not accept any of the bids submitted by companies that responded to a state request for delivery of health care services in Iowa’s nine prisons.

An Iowa Department of Corrections spokesperson confirmed the agency’s decision Wednesday in response to questions from The Gazette.

“After reviewing proposals and evaluating options for privatizing and improving health services, the Iowa Department of Corrections has decided not to move forward with a vendor,” said a department statement sent by a spokesperson.

“This exploratory process reinforced that the Department is better positioned to evaluate opportunities to strengthen the current system and, by retaining management of these services, will ensure any changes to the health care delivery model meet operational needs, support staff and incarcerated individual safety, and align with our long-term direction,” the statement said.

The Gazette asked the corrections department how many companies submitted applications and what were the submissions’ projected costs. A spokesman said Wednesday that the department had no further information at this time.

A union leader whose unit represents Iowa prison officers confirmed for The Gazette on Tuesday that the state corrections department informed workers last week that the agency would not accept any of the companies’ bids for providing health care services.

Iowa Public Radio and The Midwest Newsroom first reported the agency’s announcement Friday.

The state corrections department in early July notified staff of its intention to seek a private company to provide health care services in Iowa’s nine state-run prisons. The DOC email said the goal was to “explore a sustainable, high quality health care system that meets the needs of (incarcerated individuals) while aligning with the IDOC’s mission of public safety and rehabilitation.” A request for proposal issued July 9 cited an aging prison population with increasing health care needs as a primary driver of the search.

Roughly 300 Iowa Department of Corrections health care workers would be impacted by such a change, according to the RFP. The document stated that any private company chosen “must allow opportunity for all current, permanent status employees working for DOC at (sic) as medical personnel to be considered for employment.”

AFSCME Council 61 President Todd Copley told The Gazette on Tuesday that during last week’s meeting, prison DOC staff were told the state was not going to choose any of the companies that submitted proposals because the costs were too high.

Copley said his understanding was the state was expecting bids in the range of $50 to $70 million, and instead the bids all surpassed $100 million.

Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com

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