Reutors News published a report that reviewed 500 jails and prisons and found that Naphcare had the highest death rate among healthcare contractors. The runners-up in the death march were Corizon, Wellpath, and PrimeCare.
Despite this dismal performance, AZDOC awarded Naphcare a 1.4 billion dollar contract in 2022, representing a 74% increase in what they were paying Centurion.
The Arizona Republic revealed a cozy relationship with Larry Gann, the then Director of Medical Services for the DOC. Larry testified in Federal court that he worked for Naphcare as Director of Nursing in 2006, and then worked for them for the next nine years, becoming vice-president in 2015. Cozy indeed.
We have often wondered why some inmates are rushed to the hospital via ambulance, while others are transported by DOC van in a much slower process. In a Prison Legal News article, we think we found the answer. In contracts with other prisons, Naphcare received $1,000 in monthly bonuses if they ordered no more than 15 ambulance trips. Another $1,000 bonus was paid if there were under 30 referrals to off-site physicians in a month.
David Fathi of ACLU Washington, DC said, “It’s hard to imagine a more blatant and inappropriate disincentive to provide care than a financial penalty.”