Privatizing health care in the prison system won’t do the inmates or state workers any good, said many Department of Corrections employees who attended a meeting on the issue Monday night.

About 300 DOC employees from throughout the state packed Francis Burns United Methodist Church in Columbia to discuss a proposal to privatize the health care system in the state’s prisons. If this happens, some of the health care workers fear they will lose their benefits and possibly their jobs. The inmates, they said, will fare no better and won’t receive the current quality of care.

“We’re fighting it,” said Joan Waggoner, nursing supervisor at Kirkland Correctional Institution.

The privatization idea stemmed from a budget hearing in June, said Will Folks, Gov. Mark Sanford’s press secretary. Sanford didn’t attend Monday’s meeting because of a conflict.

“This is an idea that the governor has thrown out there, first in an effort to see if it is feasible, if there are potential cost savings and if services can continue to be delivered at the same level they are currently being provided,” he said.

One of the companies interested in providing health care for prisoners is Correctional Medical Services Inc., a private medical provider based in St. Louis.

CMS, which previously provided health care to some of the state’s prisons, dropped its contract with the state DOC in January 2000 after a dispute over how much it was being paid and how much service the company was to provide.

If a private company takes over, said Melanie Davis, laboratory director at Kirkland, inmates will be out of luck if they need to see a specialist.

“They won’t get the medical care they need,” she said.

Among those listening to the group was state Rep. Leon Howard, D-Richland, who said he plans to talk to the governor and express his concerns. He told workers they are doing the right thing sharing their opinions.

“Call your senator, house member and governor and tell them you won’t stand for it,” he said.

Reach Leach at (803) 771-8549 or leleach@thestate.com.