Armor Correctional Health Services Inc. is a company that presently provides medical care services to approximately 40,000 inmates in the U.S. The Miami-based organization was recently awarded a contract for the jail facility located in El Paso County, CO. The value of the contract for this 1,500 bed facility is estimated to reach roughly $40 million. Last year, Armor was prohibited from providing care in the state of New York after a series of deaths occurred. The company is said to have many pending suits related primarily to substandard care and violations of civil rights. The previous provider was Correct Care Solutions; a Tennessee-based company, who claims to provide services for nearly 250,000 individuals in the U.S. Alex Friedmann, with the Human Rights Defense Center, claims that high turnover exists with the majority of the companies in this market; however, replacing the company usually does not lead to better results because they tend to employ similar business models.
Yeleny Suarez, a representative for Armor, stated that some negative outcomes are likely when a provider has responsibility for thousands of patients, particularly for those found in a correctional environment. She did not respond when asked about the pending wrongful death cases against the organization. A county procurement officer explained that the decision to contract with Armor was made due to financial reasons. Although this contract increases the price to the county by 40%, continuing with the previous provider would have been more expensive after renewing.
Critics of the correctional medical provider market say that these companies are profitable because they simply reduce the many services offered. Armor is currently involved in litigation including the following:
- Reached a settlement with New York’s Attorney General, they were barred from contracting in the state for alleged inadequate care
- The family of a New York inmate was awarded $7 million in a wrongful death case involving his suicide
- In Niagara County, they agreed to a $100,000 settlement for an inmate death
- In Hillsborough County, they paid an $800,000 settlement following an inmate’s death and many other instances exist
Armor is one of a few large companies that are capable of providing care for hundreds of inmates quickly. They have contracts in eight states across 19 facilities. According to the Coloradoan, former El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa, is under investigation for extortion, which involved an accusation that he threatened to cancel a $5 million contract with another jail healthcare provider
The Law Firm of Jeremy Rosenthal stands as a proponent for Colorado victims in personal injury and wrongful death cases. We have secured some of the largest verdicts and settlements for those impacted by negligence. Contact the office today at (303) 825-2223 to discuss the details of your case.
