Well path will no longer provide health care at the Mecklenburg County Jail, according to a Jan. 19 letter sent by the company to the local sheriff’s office.
The company will stop providing care to Charlotte inmates on May 18, according to this brief termination letter. The news comes two months after two inmates died in custody following reported medical emergencies — which the sheriff’s office said was not a factor. WBTV first reported on the end of the contract.
“We are confident we will have a provider in place before May,” sheriff’s office spokesman Bradley Smith told the Charlotte Observer. “We do not expect any services to be affected.”
Wellpath, formerly known as Correct Care Solutions, has worked at the Charlotte jail since 2008, Smith said. His most recent contract was set to expire later this year, but was cut short by the termination letter, he added.
The $10.66 million contract was scheduled to last from December to November.
The sheriff’s office and Wellpath had discussions before Wellpath sent its termination letter, Smith said. But he deferred to Wellpath when a reporter asked him why the contract would end early.
A Wellpath spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment.
Wellpath has been sued over its care across the country. A review of lawsuits filed between 2014 and 2018 showed she was accused of contributing to more than 70 deathsCNN reported in 2019.
Two inmates from Charlotte died in December after reported medical emergencies.
Those deaths were “irrelevant” to the termination of the contract, Smith said.
In Charlotte, the sheriff’s office was pleased with Wellpath’s work, he said.
“No other company or agency has had these challenges,” Smith said. “For example, there were times when staffing levels were…
