CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) – Charleston County, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and its jail medical provider are being sued for failing to pay the medical bills of an inmate who suffered serious injuries inside the Al Cannon Detention Center.
The lawsuit, filed on Thursday by Correct Care of South Carolina, surrounds the medical care of an inmate identified as John Doe. On June 23, 2021, John Doe, who suffers from schizophrenia, hit his head against a metal jail cell door multiple times.
The inmate was transferred from Al Cannon to the Medical University of South Carolina and was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury resulting in incomplete tetraplegia, according to the lawsuit. John Doe underwent surgery, but has limited ability to move his hands and legs, is unable to walk, incontinent and requires intensive care.
At the time, Wellpath was the jail’s medical provider and decided the resources and facilities at Al Cannon Detention Center could not provide the level of care required by John Doe. The lawsuit states it was determined he would be transferred to Correct Care’s Columbia Regional Care Center.
In 2023, Wellpath’s contract with the county expired and VitalCore agreed to provide inmate medical services to the county. According to the filing, VitalCore’s President of Operations, Shannon Meyer, agreed the “payment of all costs associated with the treatment, transportation, and stay of John Doe at the Columbia Regional Care Center shall be the responsibility of Vital Core.”
Following the transition of Wellpath to VitalCore, the company did not pay John Doe’s expenses from July 1, 2023, until January 2024 when VitalCore was notified that Correct Care’s invoices had not been paid. Meyer agreed once again to pay for the inmates’ care.
Despite the agreement, Correct Care is currently owed a total of $414,516.46 for care and treatment provided to John Doe which has not been paid.
Charleston County, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office and its jail medical provider are being sued for breach of contract and the failure to make payment has left Correct Care with damages.
The lawsuit also states “VitalCore, the County and the Sheriff’s Office have received the benefit of the medical care and treatment provided to John Doe Inmate, but have refused to pay Correct Care for the care and treatment provided.”
Timothy E. Keck, President of Ancillary Services at VitalCore, provided the following comment in regard to the matter:
“There are legitimate disputes surrounding our responsibility for payment of the bill. We have engaged legal counsel to appropriately resolve these issues and cannot comment any further.”
Charleston County said the County cannot comment on pending litigation.
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Lawsuit claims Charleston Co. jail medical provider failed to pay inmate’s bills
