Authorities say the Alabama Department of Corrections has agreed to a new health care contract for inmates with a Missouri-based company.
The contract is with Corizon Inc., formerly known as Correctional Medical Services.
Officials say the state will pay $224.7 million to Corizon over the next three years.
Sen. Arthur Orr's staff released a statement Thursday saying the contract would save $23.8 million over the next three years. Alabama lawmakers had sought significant reductions in the cost of health care costs for the state's 25,000 inmates.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.