Luzerne County Correctional Facility

Luzerne County Correctional Facility

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Luzerne County Council tabled the selection of a new prison health care provider Tuesday after concerns were raised that the proposed contract was not yet completed for its review.

Wexford Health Sources Inc., which took over the work Jan. 1, had notified the county the first week of March it was exercising a contract clause that allows service termination with at least 120 days of notice if either side “determines that such termination is in its best interest.”

The county must have a new provider of inmate health services in place before June 23.

After a rapid solicitation to determine if past company respondents were still interested, the administration is recommending bringing back WellPath LLC (formerly Correct Care Solutions), which is the company that had been performing the work from March 2015 until it was replaced by Wexford.

“The county believes that WellPath is the most responsible bidder that will be able to initiate a startup by the termination date requested by the current provider,” the agenda submission said.

The provider must supply a range of medical and mental health services and personnel, including prescription and nonprescription drugs and emergency ambulance transport, for inmates at the prison and minimal offenders building in Wilkes-Barre.

Councilman Walter Griffith made the motion to table, saying he is not comfortable voting without a written contract presented.

Six of the 11 council members supported the delay, with opposition from Chris Perry, Sheila Saidman, Tim McGinley and Harry Haas.

Haas said he wants to allow the administration ample time to transition to another provider and believes the main concern — the wording of the termination clause — could be finalized in the interim.

Griffith said a special council meeting could be called to vote on the contract as soon as it is reviewed and ready. Council met for two hours Tuesday through the online Microsoft Teams platform due to the coronavirus.

The proposed three-year contract with WellPath would cost around $3 million annually. The first year cost would be about $97,370 higher.

While the administration may extend the termination window in the new contract beyond 120 days, county Correctional Services Division Head Mark Rockovich said a clause makes sense so the county is not forced to keep a provider that does not perform as promised.

A timely decision on the new contract is needed, particularly in the “middle of a pandemic,” Rockovich said. He said he believes WellPath has significantly improved services through its corporate reorganization and upper management changes that brought in some new medical professionals.

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.