Jury sides with Pierce County in jail health care lawsuit

Conmed sued the county for withholding payments for services rendered.

  • By Wire Service
  • Saturday, March 9, 2019 5:13pm
  • Northwest

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TACOMA — A former jail health care provider accused of providing substandard care must pay Pierce County $1.56 million.

The News Tribune reported that a jury made that determination Thursday. The company, Conmed, sued Pierce County for withholding payments.

The county filed a counterclaim that alleged the company’s deficiencies violated its contract. Jurors agreed with the county.

Conmed provided medical and dental care at the jail starting in Febuary 2014.

In August 2015 the county terminated the contract about four months after it stopped payments. The county’s trial brief alleged Conmed’s deficiencies included “inadequate staffing and scheduling of medical personnel, lack of supervisory leadership, failure to provide inmate access to care, medication errors, continuity of care, etc.”

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