The chairman of the University of California Board of Regents said today (March 25) a special committee will be formed to consider what role, if any, UC might play in prison health care.

"This is a very complicated issue that we're going to have to spend a great deal of time to understand how or if UC can be involved," Regents Chairman Russell Gould said. "I think that's the best way we can provide support for the president and Dr. John Stobo."

An independent assessment of ways to increase quality and lower costs in California's prison health care system had been on the agenda as a discussion item, but was postponed out of concern that, because the meeting was running late, there would not be time to give it appropriate deliberation.

California's prison health care system, which costs $2.4 billion a year, is under federal receivership. The governor and state lawmakers are seeking to provide better care, reduce costs and end the receivership.

At the governor's request, UC leaders have participated in discussions with state officials and NuPhysicia, a health care company, about the assessment, but no agreements have yet been reached. Similar arrangements have succeeded in Georgia, New Jersey and Texas.

"This is an enormous issue, and the regents want to move ahead very cautiously," said Stobo, UC senior vice president for health sciences and services. "NuPhysicia has proposed one way of addressing this issue involving UC, but it is important that we consider others."

View fact sheet online: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/documents/fixingcaliforniaprisonhealthcare.pdf

View assessment summary: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/documents/nuphysicia_assessment_presentation.ppt