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County correspondence flags jail‑health contractor departures after multimillion‑dollar verdicts
Summary
Cowlitz County received notice that a contractor providing health care in Washington jails is withdrawing from the state after large court awards against a vendor; county staff said a replacement vendor must be identified by September and that costs may rise.
County correspondence presented to the Board of Commissioners included a letter from law firm Perkins Coie describing provider changes affecting jail health care in Washington state. Staff said Ever Health Operations (contracting arrangements described in the correspondence) and the related company NAF Care are withdrawing from Washington; county staff said a replacement vendor must be identified by September 2025.
Commission staff summarized two court decisions cited in the correspondence as factors affecting vendor withdrawal: a plaintiff award of $25,000,000 in KPA v. Nafcare (Pierce County Jail matter referenced by staff) and reported punitive damages in a Spokane County case styled Cindy Hill v. NAF Care. County staff said those large awards have influenced vendor market decisions and that counties currently contracting for jail health care may face higher costs for vendor services and insurance as companies exit the market.
Why it matters: County jails are required to provide health care to people in custody; the loss of an existing vendor means the county will need to procure another provider and may see contract costs rise. Staff advised the board that finding a new vendor by the September deadline will be difficult given market conditions described in the correspondence.
What the board heard: Staff called attention to the letter dated April 15 (Perkins Coie) and explained that the vendor exit was linked to litigation exposure and large awards; the board did not take formal action but recorded the correspondence and discussed procurement implications for county corrections and budget planning.
