Vermont DOC outlines Wellpath contract terms, updates on medications for opioid use disorder

State correctional officials and clinical leaders on Jan. 17 described the Department of Corrections’ (DOC) three-year contract with Wellpath, the private vendor that provides health services inside Vermont’s correctional facilities, and reviewed recent changes to how the department treats opioid use disorder in custody.

The DOC contract with Wellpath began in July 2023 and is paid as a per-member-per-month rate based on a set population; the department said costs escalate over the three-year term to reflect health-care inflation. Aviva Tabah, executive director of health and wellness for DOC, said the payment model “is based on a per member per month calculation, which reflects all of the expenses of the healthcare services that we provide people who are in custody.”

The contract includes a 10% administrative fee and performance-based incentives that can add up to 3% of the contract value if Wellpath meets agreed metrics; DOC officials also described liquidated-damage provisions the state can invoke if performance standards are not met. Committee members raised transparency and continuity concerns after recent national press reporting that parts of Wellpath’s corporate structure had filed for bankruptcy. DOC staff said corporate leadership has assured the state that Vermont operations and vendor payments will continue; the department said it is monitoring the situation and that Vermont vendors would be paid in full.

Why it matters: Corrections…