The report from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care on Michigan's Prison Health Care System came as no surprise to the Department of Corrections.

But Correctional Medical Services, which provides that care to Michigan's prisoners, didn't say the report was exactly accurate.

"Some of the criticism has come from people who really didn't talk to us. We weren't consulted by some of the critics," said Dr. Craig Hutchinson, CMS Associate Regional Medical Director.

Representatives from the St. Louis based CMS responded to the independent review Tuesday, attributing part of the higher cost of prison health care to an increase in the inmate illness rate.

"Our role is both crucial and limited. At a facility level it's definitely limited," said Hutchinson.

"The medication to treat it has doubled," said Vickie L. Bybee, Chief Operating Officer of CMS.

Which has proved to be expensive for the DOC. Last year they spent more than $286 million in health care services. The department plans to start putting out new requests for proposal next month.

"The bidding that will take place is for us to come up with a contract, a new way of providing health care to the prisoners in the state of Michigan," said Russ Marlan, Department of Corrections Spokesman. "It's not any dissatisfaction with a particular vendor."

The DOC and CMS have had private discussions on getting productivity up, offering new incentives to physicians and specialists.

"One of the recommendations is that we set up more chronic care clinics," said Marlan. "Many prisoners come to prison never addressing their health at all."

Which will lower the cost of prisoner medical care, and keep inmates healthier.

Correctional Medical Services Inc. is still under contract with the Michigan Department of Corrections. It runs until March of next year.