Report: Del. Could Have Saved Millions With Prison Prescription Program

Delaware’s Department of Correction could have saved tens of millions of dollars over seven years in prescription drug costs, according to a special report prepared by State Auditor Kathy McGuiness.

The DOC has contracted with Correct RX since 2014 to provide prescription services in the prison system. McGuiness said her team examined the contract and how much the DOC spent on pharmacy services during the 2019 and 2020 fiscal years.

“As we reviewed the contract between DOC and CRX, we noticed that the contract was not detailed enough to tell us what pharmacy services would be purchased or provided,” McGuiness said. “Furthermore, a review of DOC’s spending in this area revealed that resources were not being used efficiently.”

McGuiness and the team also reached out to Minnesota Multistate Contracting Alliance Infuse (MMCAP Infuse), Delaware’s group purchasing organization.

“We found that DOC could have saved up to $44.1 million since 2014 by using MMCAP Infuse’s contract services,” McGuiness said. “That’s nearly half of DOC’s pharmaceutical spend – and it’s an enormous amount of taxpayer money that could have gone to other programs.”

“DOC’s goal in this area should be providing quality healthcare to inmates at a reasonable cost,” McGuiness added. “My special report shows that goal is achievable, and my hope is that DOC will consider my two detailed recommendations to do exactly that.”