On April 5, 2013, California Correctional Health Care Services (CCHCS) issued RFP #12265 seeking proposals for a Healthcare Provider Network (HCPN). The HCPN will enable community-based Specialty Medical Services Providers and a Third Party Administrator (TPA) to process claims for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
This RFP is the result of the State of California’s ongoing failure to provide medical care to prison inmates at constitutionally acceptable levels. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California appointed a Receiver to assume executive management of the California prison medical system.The CDCR is currently responsible for healthcare services to 117,000 inmates in 33 institutions and two Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) youth facilities throughout the state. In July 2013, the CHCF will open in Stockton California so this will bring the total to 34 institutions.
The medical services include primary care, urgent acute, emergency, and long term care as well as preventative care, and chronic care management. Cases requiring specialty medical consultations, treatment, or complex specialty management are seen remotely by telemedicine or the patient is referred to community-based medical service providers. Several community hospitals have secured wings within the hospital dedicated to CDCR patient inmates.
Services provided on-site by CCHCS staff or personnel providing services under other contracts include ancillary services such as radiology, laboratory services, telemedicine, mental health services, dental, and obstetrics and gynecology. Services that are expected to be provided through the network will also include ancillary services such as radiology, mobile radiology, laboratory testing, dialysis, skilled nursing facilities, dental services, and provisions for hospital stays.
Development of medical delivery models are being planned to reduce off-site medical services through on-site specialty medical consultations and use of telemedicine services. The models will include reviews for medically complex CDCR patient inmates and DJJ youth treatments to determine how best to provide access to care options. This might include relocating them to different institution/facilities where access to the medical service is more readily available.
The draft RFP is due July 19, 2013 with final proposals due September 18, 2013. Go to www.cphcs.ca.gov/project_rfp.aspx to view the RFP. For other questions, contact Sepideh Amrei, Management Consultant/Project Manager for CCHCS at (916) 691-3073 or email Sepideh.Amrei@cdcr.ca.gov.