Dear Councilmember Grosso
I am writing today to express my deep concern regarding your recent letter to Mayor Bowser that seeks to impugn the integrity of the District's procurement process and attempts to discredit Corizon Health through inaccurate claims. The letter is particularly surprising as it counters your previous statements that the District Council should not approve contracts and should remain detached from the procurement process.
As you know, in 2012 the D.C. Department of Corrections (DOC) contracted with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to evaluate its inmate health services delivery system. PCG found numerous shortcomings—1) the current non-profit provider, Unity Health Care, came at a cost more than double that of peer jails, 2) that no evidence exists that they had produced more than a "casual continuity of care system" for released inmates, and 3) they lacked an "adequate and defined discharge-planning program." Additionally, previous media reports stated that internal affairs investigations revealed widespread misconduct by medical staff from Unity Health Care that directly contributed to inmate deaths, including making false statements to investigators in attempts to cover up wrongdoing.
Due to these and other systemic problems, the decision was made to conduct an RFP process to contract with a qualified vendor to supply quality healthcare services at the D.C. Jail and Correctional Treatment Facility. Through a rigorous, fair and lengthy competitive procurement process, including several chances to clarify final bids, Corizon Health was found each time to be the superior solution.
Countless hours and correctional healthcare experts were involved in the PCG audit and RFP decision-making process; your new request undermines the work of the men and women at the Office of Contracting and Procurement, as well as the expertise of the evaluation committee. Second, this action will have a chilling effect on businesses willing to provide much needed services to residents of the District of Columbia.
In addition, the claims cited in your letter regarding our healthcare delivery are based largely on incorrect third-party information. Regarding the litigation numbers referenced, it is misleading to compare the number of total lawsuits between the two organizations. Based on the number of inmates each company serves each day, the incumbent's lawsuit rate is far higher than Corizon Health's.
Furthermore, your letter suggests that PHS's work in the D.C. Jail – which was provided nearly 20 years ago – was ended because of inferior service: that is simply not true. It also suggests that PHS's work with CCA was discontinued because of lawsuits — that is false, as it was based upon a business decision by CCA to begin providing medical services in-house nationwide.
Providing care to incarcerated individuals is an extraordinarily challenging task. Nonetheless, caring for these patients is our privilege. As a physician and former public health official, I implore you and the other Councilmembers to approve the D.C. Jail healthcare contract to best serve the needs of its inmates.
Corizon Health stand ready to take on the compassionate care of your city's inmates and hope that you and your colleagues on the Council will allow us the opportunity to do so.
Sincerely,
Woodrow Augustus Myers Jr., MD
