By George Kayer.
In preparation for James Hunter’s articles I had our legal department do a search for judgment’s and settlements against Naphcare and Centene. We found 314 settlements for wrongful death and medical malpractice. And, a pattern of harmful policies still in place today.
Centene Corporation, while contracted with the Arizona Department of Corrections, hired Dr. Thedora Paul as its Dir of Centurion* Operations at the Lewis Prison Complex in Buckeye, Arizona. As the Managing agent for Centene, Dr. Paul put in place a practice of delaying/denying medical treatment to inmates. Because of Dr. Paul’s practices, James Hunter has been harmed for the duration of his life.
After an approximate three painful year wait, on March 8th 2023, James Hunter was finally transferred to the Banner Baywood Hospital in order to receive a Right Hip Replacement Operation. In an effort “To contain cost” Centene, by order of Dr. Thedora Paul, the day after surgery, ordered American Ambulance to load Mr. Hunter, who could not even walk yet, into their ambulance and bring him back to the prison where he resided.
As a consequence of this rushed transfer, Mr. Hunter needlessly suffered 34 days of infection in his right hip, leg, and left leg. Mr. H then had to undergo a second surgery on April 19th, 2021, due to the infection and delay of postoperative care. Mr. Hunter suffered with an infection in his body for 34 days and now has permanent nerve damage. Further, on June 1st, 2021 Both of Mr. Hunter’s kidney shut down and he was again hospitalized and placed on an 8 day treatment of powerful antibiotics. The denial of care does not stop there, as Mr. Hunter has never received his postoperative therapy for his his hip which has resulted in a 40% loss of mobility in his right hip.
A 17 page exposé on Centurion in Prison Legal News details settlements and unethical practices as a standard business model.
The reason for these denials of care have gone uncorrected, due to the practices and policies that Dr. Paul has put in place. Dr. Paul is not doing anything new, as Centenes other operations in states like New Mexico reek of the same denial of basic medical care. It is clear that Centene hires doctors who agree to follow the corporate model to cut costs by denying patient care. All with the same end results like what Mr. Hunter now suffers.
https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2024/dec/9/centurions-8-million-track-record-abuse-and-neglect-new-mexicos-correctional-medical-provider/
*Centene Corporation owns and operates Centurion of Arizona and other like companies, that provide healthcare to prisoners.*
https://linkedin.com/in/anant-tripati-a794ab311/recent-activity/articles/
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