Illinois’ New Prison Health Care Provider Faces Record of Poor Care

Kenneth Johnson was slowly suffocating to death.

Johnson, 60, was in a vermont prison awaiting trial in december 2019.Despite repeatedly complaining that he was struggling to breathe, he was misdiagnosed and largely ignored by the prison’s correctional and medical staff, according to a lawsuit his family filed in 2021.

his condition worsened. When he finally was admitted to the prison’s infirmary, staff members never checked his airway – despite his plummeting oxygen levels, according to the lawsuit.

Rather, it says, a nurse accused him of faking it and told him he was “acting like a . . . 2-year-old.”

He eventually stopped breathing, was found without a pulse and pronounced dead. Medical examiners later identified a previously undiagnosed cancerous tumor pressing on his airway as the cause of his death, according to the wrongful death lawsuit.

Johnson’s case is an example of how substandard medical care has caused preventable harm and even death to people locked up in prisons and jails. Frequently enough,in Illinois and elsewhere,that care is provided by private,for-profit companies,a Chicago Sun-Times investigation has found.

One of them is Centurion Health, the provider responsible for Johnson’s medical care. it recently was given a contract by the state of Illinois to provide medical care to people housed in every state prison.

Centurion, one of the nation’s largest correctional medicine companies, was hired by Illinois officials despite having a record of providing inadequate health care, according to a Sun-Times examination of more than 100 lawsuits, a Justice Department investigation and state audits.

Lawsuits from other states describe cases in which people in prison say they were repeatedly ignored,denied care and misdiagnosed. They accuse Centurion of being deliberately indifferent to routine and emergency health needs.

The suits say the inmates’ treatment violates the U.S. Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment, and the 14th Amendment, guaranteeing people equal protection under the law and due process.

Over the summer, the company was brought in by Illinois officials to replace the state’s previous private health care provider, Wexford Health Sources, which also has faced accusations of providing poor care, neglect and preventable deaths.

In 2023, the Illinois Department of Corrections was set to give Wexford a 10-year, $4 billion contract. But negotiations to finalize a contract later stalled. And, in July, the corrections department instead signed a short-term emergency contract with Centurion Health.

It’s unclear whether Centurion will be the long-term choice to run the department’s troubled health care system. In October, the state extended it

Lawsuits against Centurion came from prisons and jails around the country: Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, mississippi, Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Vermont, Kansas and Georgia. Some came with legal representation. Others were handwritten by people in prison representing themselves.

They speak to the challenges of delivering and monitoring correctional health care, said Wright.

Centurion and other private health care companies that serve prisons are more motivated by their profit margins than the health and well-being of the incarcerated populations they’re responsible for, he said.

Wright, who is also the editor of Prison Legal News, has sued Centurion for access to records, and Centurion has filed retaliatory suits against his association.

The companies “are all pretty bad,” he said. “They have the same buisness model predicated on getting as much taxpayer money as possible and then providing as little medical care as possible.”

In the years leading up to the 2023 contract talks between Wexford and Illinois, a federal judge had determined the health care that the company provided was so poor that it violated the U.S.Constitution. A court-appointed independent monitor published reports documenting deaths from substandard medical care.

The accusations against Wexford over the years have included a man who lost vision in his left eye that medical staffers refused to treat because of Wexford’s “one good eye policy.” In another case, Wexford staff stopped maintenance chemotherapy for a survivor of brain cancer, and, after the cancer returned, staff members took months to schedule a surgery.By then, he was dead.

Issues with Wexford have come up outside of prison walls, too. Former IDOC Director Donald Snyder took $30,000 in kickbacks from a Wexford lobbyist from 1999 to 2002 to help secure one of the company’s contracts with the state.

He was sentenced to two years in prison in 2008. Wexford kept its contract.

‘Well-documented failings’

Virginia-based Centurion Health serves 11 state correctional systems – “more than any other company,” according to the company. Nearly 275,000 incarcerated people are under Centurion’s care.

Centurion Health was created as a joint venture between the health care companies Mental Health Management Services and Centene Corp. in 2011 to “transform correctional medicine to modern medicine,” according to the company’s website.Centurion Health became its own cor

Lawsuit alleges Centurion health staff ‘deliberately chose to do nothing’ as inmate died

A lawsuit filed against Centurion Health,the healthcare provider for Oklahoma prisons,alleges its staff deliberately delayed medical care to an inmate who later died,violating his Eighth Amendment rights.

The suit, filed on behalf of the estate of 34-year-old Joshua Moore, details a disturbing incident at Davis Correctional facility in October 2023.Moore, who was experiencing a medical emergency, requested help from correctional officers, but instead was put in a cell, fully restrained and alone for 30 minutes, according to the suit.

when guards and Centurion medical staff members came into the cell, Moore was unresponsive. Yet the nurses did not immediately attempt lifesaving measures, according to the lawsuit. He eventually was taken from the cell and brought to the prison’s emergency room, where he was pronounced dead.

The full incident and his death were captured on the prison’s surveillance footage, according to the suit.

“Defendants knew or should have known that Moore was in severe medical distress and knew they were required to provide immediate medical assistance,” the complaint says. “Despite their duty, they deliberately chose to do nothing, directly violating Moore’s Eighth Amendment rights.

“Their inaction amounted to a clear denial of medical care, which exacerbated the harm inflicted upon Moore.”

The suit is ongoing. A separate criminal investigation by the Cole County sheriff’s department into Moore’s death led to 10 people being fired from the prison, and four former correctional staff members were charged with second-degree murder, according to the Missouri Department of Corrections.

A spokesperson for the corrections department declined to comment on the Moore family’s case but confirmed Centurion is still the department’s contracted health care provider.

Andrew M. Stroth, a Chicago civil rights lawyer representing Moore’s family, called for stronger accountability for Centurion.

“You’ve got a private sector company making hundreds of millions of dollars, not providing ethical and real care to the inmates,” stroth said. “These individuals might potentially be in custody, they may be in prison, but that doesn’t take away their right to proper and necessary health care.”

It’s tough, though, to generate outrage over how people are treated in prison, Wright said. And despite the performance standards built into the companies’ contracts with state governments,there is little or no oversight into their practices,he said.

“Prisoners are viewed as an expendable population in this country,” Wright said.

Lawsuit Reveals Concerns Over Medical Care at Vermont Prison, Centurion Settlement Doesn’t Address Systemic Issues

A $1.5 million settlement awarded to the family of a Black man who died while incarcerated at Northern State Correctional Facility in Vermont highlights ongoing concerns about the quality of medical care within the state’s correctional system and the limited accountability of private healthcare providers like Centurion. The case, stemming from the 2021 death of James Johnson, revealed a lack of adequate medical assessment and sparked investigations into potential negligence and racial bias. Despite multiple settlements paid by Centurion, critics argue the current legal framework fails to enact meaningful change.

The Death of James Johnson and Initial Investigations

James Johnson died approximately three days after being admitted to the Northern State Correctional Facility’s infirmary. According to a complaint filed in the case, Centurion medical staff failed to properly assess Johnson’s airway or throat despite symptoms indicating a potential obstruction. He was given a nebulizer, but his condition did not improve.

Johnson’s death prompted investigations by the Vermont Defender General’s Prisoners’ Rights Office, Disability Rights Vermont, and other advocacy groups. VTDigger reported on the allegations of racism and negligence surrounding his death. Centurion is no longer the medical provider for Vermont’s correctional system, a change confirmed by a Vermont department of Corrections spokesperson, who declined to comment specifically on Johnson’s case.

$1.5 Million Settlement and Lingering Concerns

In July, a judge ordered Centurion to pay Johnson’s family $1.5 million. While the settlement provides some financial relief to the family, legal experts argue it doesn’t address the systemic issues that contributed to Johnson’s death.

“In settling these cases, Centurion doesn’t have to answer the accusations it faces. And the payments won’t set it back financially,” stated a critic, as reported in the original source material. “It’s just the cost of doing business.” This sentiment underscores the concern that settlements allow companies like Centurion to avoid accountability and continue operating without significant repercussions for potential misconduct.

The problem with Settlements: Lack of Transparency and Systemic Change

The core issue lies in the nature of settlements themselves. Unlike a trial verdict, a settlement doesn’t require Centurion to admit wrongdoing or publicly address the allegations against it. This lack of transparency prevents a full examination of the circumstances surrounding johnson’s death and hinders efforts to implement preventative measures.

moreover, the financial impact of settlements on large healthcare companies is frequently enough minimal. As the source material points out, the payout is simply absorbed as a business expense, failing to incentivize significant improvements in care. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the current legal system in protecting the health and safety of incarcerated individuals.

Key Takeaways:

* Inadequate Medical assessment: James Johnson’s case highlights a potential failure to adequately assess and address a medical emergency within the Vermont correctional system.
* Settlements vs. Accountability: While settlements provide financial compensation to families, they frequently enough lack the transparency and accountability of a trial.
* Systemic issues: Critics argue that the current system allows private healthcare providers to prioritize profit over patient care, with minimal consequences for negligence.
* Centurion No Longer Provider: Centurion is no longer the medical provider for Vermont’s correctional system, but concerns remain about the quality of care provided by future contractors.

The Future of Correctional Healthcare in Vermont

The Johnson case serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by incarcerated individuals and the need for robust oversight of correctional healthcare. Moving forward, advocates are likely to push for greater transparency in medical practices within prisons, stronger regulatory frameworks for private healthcare contractors, and mechanisms to ensure accountability for negligence. The focus must shift from simply compensating victims to preventing future tragedies and guaranteeing access to quality healthcare for all incarcerated individuals.

This story was produced as part of a fellowship with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.