LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 6, 2005) – Opening ceremonies for a new state-of-the-art corrections facility in Elliott County are putting the spotlight on a unique public-private partnership involving the University of Kentucky that has reduced the cost of hospital and specialist care for prison inmates by more than 40 percent.

 

The Little Sandy Correctional Complex, a medium security institution, began accepting inmates in May and will ultimately house about 961 medium security prisoners.

 

 

Started in 2003, the Kentucky Corrections Health Services Network (KCHSN) partnership manages a statewide health network that delivers hospital and specialty care for more than 18,000 state inmates across Kentucky. Prior to the partnership, the 12 prisons and 75 jails across the state decided individually how to provide health-care services.

 

 

John D. Rees, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Corrections, said,  "During the 18 months that I have led the Kentucky Department of Corrections, I could not be more pleased with the progress that we have made in not only controlling the growth of medical costs, but also reducing the average cost per day of medical care for each offender. This could not have been accomplished without the health care network established by the University of Kentucky and CorrectCare of Lexington. This partnership has truly been beneficial to the taxpayers of Kentucky."

 

Specifically, Roeder said UK works with the Department of Corrections to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the project and develop clinical and other applied research projects. CorrectCare Inc., a private sector health management firm based in Lexington, ensures the availability of doctors and other providers and services as necessary.

 

Roeder said the program works with several health networks.  CHA is the primary network providing services to KCHSN, thereby ensuring cost-effectiveness through market competition.

 

“We really do act as a sort of prison health plan,” Roeder said. “In managing this network, we’re using the competition inherent in the medical marketplace to get the best price for quality, health-care services.

 

“Everyone, as a result, is a winner – including Kentucky taxpayers.”

 

Kentucky legislators from the area praised the partnership, saying it’s a model for how UK can work with the private sector and the state to help the Commonwealth with a critical issue.

 

"The partnership among UK, the state and the private sector is a model for how we should be doing business in Kentucky. We're providing a necessary service in the most cost-effective way possible," said House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook. Adkins led the effort for the new prison in Elliott County.

 

"This initiative represents another way that UK is working in partnership with others to help Kentucky move forward," added Sen. Walter Blevins, D-Sandy Hook. "As a legislature, we're encouraging programs such as this one because they provide services more cost-effectively and efficiently."