HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County board is recommending a new company take over inmate medical care for $3.73 million annually in the first year of a three-year contract.

Armor Health, a Florida-based company, was one of five companies responding to Blair County’s request for bids in light of the county’s contract with PrimeCare Medical that’s due to expire this year.

PrimeCare, which has been providing inmate medical care at the county prison since 2005, also responded to the request for bids and submitted two options for the first year of a three year contract. One option was priced at $2.63 million and the other was priced at $2.81 million.

While PrimeCare appears to be the low bidder, Warden Matthew Hale told the prison board that he would recommend Armor based on how the company can address current needs and ongoing issues. He also indicated that with additional charges, PrimeCare’s prices will be higher than their bids.

The decision on the prison’s inmate healthcare provider will rest with commissioners Dave Kessling, Amy Webster and Laura Burke who have the option of further evaluating the companies’ proposals, prices and services.

Hale, who described Armor as “newer to this area,” said he talked with other prison personnel familiar with Armor.

“They come highly recommended,” Hale said.

While PrimeCare prices for its first-year options were lower than Armor’s $3.73 million bid, Controller A.C. Stickel, a member of the prison board, said PrimeCare’s lower bids don’t account for “catastrophic” medical costs which fall to the county to cover and vary from year to year, based on the inmates and their health.

When Blair County built its 2026 budget, commissioners relied on figures showing that 2025’s inmate medical care was at $3.04 million, exceeding the 2025 budgeted amount of $2.76 million.

For 2026, the county’s general fund budget allocated $3.16 million for inmate medical care in a prison.

Hale, when pointing to PrimeCare’s prices after the prison board meeting concluded, said he expects that additional costs will be incurred.

The warden also recognized that Armor’s price of $3.73 million was lower than the $3.83 million first-year price submitted by Mediko Correctional Health and the $4.34 million first-year price submitted by CFG Health.

One additional company, Zenova Supplemental Telehealth, submitted a bid of $1.38 million, which Hale advised the prison board was “not-a-full-service option.”

Kessling, who chairs the prison board, said PrimeCare used to serve almost all of the prisons in Pennsylvania, but that’s been shifting.

Three years ago when Blair County sought bids from companies interested in providing inmate medical care, PrimeCare was the only company to respond. Other counties have re­ceived multiple responses when advertising for inmate medical care providers.

Another influencing factor in the competition could be the increasing number of lawsuits criticizing PrimeCare for medical services or lack of services, including ones filed by Blair County Prison inmates. One of the more recent lawsuits, filed by Edwin Yingling of Altoona, accused

PrimeCare personnel of allowing a treatable bacterial infection to progress into “a life-threatening multi-organ medical emergency.” After being transported to UPMC Hospital, Yingling said he spent 34 days in intensive care, which was followed by intensive physical and occupational therapy.

PrimeCare also employed licensed practical nurse Brittany Hallett, whom Altoona police arrested in July 2024 on felony drug possession charges during a traffic stop where heroin and cocaine were found inside the vehicle. Online court records state Hallett entered guilty pleas in March in Blair County court and was put on probation for a maximum of 10 years.

Hale also advised the prison board during Tuesday’s meeting that arrangements were made with the state Department of Corrections to have its K-9 unit search the prison for contraband, with drugs and handmade weapons confiscated. Hale also indicated that a staff member believed to be involved in the effort was relieved of his duty and that Hollidaysburg borough police are investigating.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.