AFSCME sets picket to protest privatized health care for prisons

FORT MADISON – Members of the labor union for Iowa Department of Corrections will be holding an informational picket in downtown Fort Madison next week.
According to a flyer being disseminated on Monday, the union will picket in the 800 and 900 blocks of Avenue H starting at noon to protest the DOC’s move to get bids for privatized health care for offenders in state prisons.
In July, the state put out a request for proposals for national private health care companies that provide services in prison settings, to submit plans to the state. State officials including Paul Cornelius, DOC Chief of Staff, said the move by the department was preliminary to gauge interest and costs.
“At this time, the Iowa Department of Corrections is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to explore future options for healthcare delivery and to replace our current electronic health record system,” Cornelius wrote in the email.
“This is an exploratory step—no final decisions have been made, and no immediate changes are planned for staff or services. The goal is to evaluate how we can best meet long-term healthcare needs while continuing to provide high-quality care.”
But Todd Copley, president of AFSCME 61, said in July that he thinks program is a done deal saying officials are just “waiting for the ink to dry”.
Copley is scheduled to speak at the event as is Charlie Wishman with the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO.
A Frequently Asked Question portion of the RFP addressed several challenges state prison officials indicated are pressing challenges in the system.
IDOC Health Services have ongoing challenges such as staff shortages, rising pharmaceutical and transport costs, demands on staff time, and a growing need to expand mental health and substance abuse treatment. The RFP seeks to explore the evolving demands and needs, enhance cost efficiency, and enhance service delivery for Iowa’s incarcerated population.”
Copley said the system currently has 300 public health care workers in the system. Local officials say 60-70 of those are at Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison and in Mt. Pleasant.
The event is scheduled to last until 2 p.m.