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Privatization of prison healthcare pushed in secret meetings

At the beginning of the session, Gov. Rick Perry tossed out the idea of privatizing prison healthcare, but after the House and Senate budgets slashed reimbursement rates to the same, low levels as the Medicaid program, in my own mind I'd set aside the possibility as a non-starter. I just didn't think anyone would want the business at those payment levels. And I was right, sort of.Mike Ward at the Austin Statesman, though, reports that secret meetings promoted by the Governor between legislative leaders and private prison companies (with the current university health providers not in the room) have been exploring more seriously the possibility of privatizing Texas prison healthcare. House Corrections Chairman Jerry "Madden said that though vendors and their lobbyists have been pressing in recent weeks for privatization to be considered as an option," though he also added, "I don't know that there's any great move in the Legislature to see things redone...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on March 30, 2011 (boomark / email).