Mediko chosen as new Spokane County jail medical care contractor pending contract approval

After the sudden split with its longtime health care contractor, Spokane County has chosen a new medical provider for jail inmates.

Virginia-based Mediko Correctional Healthcare is the top choice of Spokane County Commissioners to take over all medical care within the Spokane County jail. On Tuesday, Spokane County commissioners approved contract negotiations with the contractor with hopes of a transition in place for the new year.

If a contract is approved, Mediko will replace NaphCare, which has provided medical, dental and pharmaceutical services in the county jail since 2016. The county renewed its contract with NaphCare in January, but the company announced plans just months later to cut ties with Spokane County.

In a written statement at the time, a NaphCare spokesperson told The Spokesman-Review that the company elected to terminate the contract due in large part to “the unreasonable exposure to litigation risks we face in this jurisdiction.”

Last week, NaphCare settled a lawsuit with the county over a dispute about which entity would pay an award to the family of an inmate who died at the county facility. The county initially covered the $1 million award, but NaphCare allegedly did not pay the county back until last week’s $731,000 settlement.

Under their previous contract, NaphCare was required to give a 180-day notice of their intent to void the contract – meaning they will continue to provide medical services through December.

That short timeline gave the county little time to find a replacement. After receiving interest from four companies, county staff rated Mediko’s proposal the highest.

“Our recommendation to the board is that we move forward with Mediko as the preferred medical service provider. They’ve got good experience in Washington,” said county project manager Ken Mohr. “They’re making big moves into the Washington market and have a lot of experience on the East Coast and in California. So we feel confident in their value proposition and their experience and would like to recommend moving into contract negotiations.”

In Washington state, Mediko currently operates medical services for Cowlitz County Correctional and Nisqually Correctional.

Depending on how long negotiations take, Mohr said the county may ask for a 30-day extension from NaphCare.