Colorado’s $2.86 Million Settlement With Staffing Network Holdings Over Alleged Overbilling of Prison Health Care Staffing
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced a $2.86 million settlement with Staffing Network Holdings, LLC on Friday, October 2, 2026. It resolves allegations that Quality Placement Authority, LLC (QPA), a staffing company that later merged into Staffing Network Holdings, overbilled the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) for health care staffing at state prisons.
This is a government recovery, not a consumer class action. The money is paid to the State of Colorado. There is no claim form, no settlement website for the public, and no claim deadline for inmates, patients, health care workers or other residents.
Last Updated: October 5, 2026
Staffing Network Holdings Colorado Settlement: Quick Facts
| Detail | What is verified |
| Settlement amount | $2.86 million, with interest |
| Paying company | Staffing Network Holdings, LLC (QPA was merged into it at the end of 2022) |
| Receiving party | State of Colorado |
| Affected agency | Colorado Department of Corrections |
| Contract at issue | QPA’s 2018 contract with CDOC |
| Law cited | Colorado False Claims Act (signed into law in 2022) |
| Alleged conduct | Inflated travel billing using false home addresses for health care providers |
| Payment schedule | Several installments stretching into 2030 |
| Announced | October 2, 2026 |
| Public claim form or deadline | None |
What Colorado Alleges Quality Placement Authority Did
According to the settlement agreement as reported by CBS Colorado, QPA knowingly submitted “hundreds of invoices” to CDOC covering “thousands of shifts” worked by local health care providers it sent to state prisons. The state alleges QPA created fake home addresses for those providers to increase the travel time it could bill.
The agreement gives two examples:
- A provider who lived 128 miles from the prison. A QPA recruiter allegedly told him he wouldn’t qualify for the higher travel rate, then instructed him to get his name added to a utility bill at his out-of-state father-in-law’s address. QPA allegedly used that address to submit at least 18 invoices at the travel rate. Those invoices overbilled CDOC by more than $63,000 for that provider’s time alone.
- A provider who lived in Colorado. QPA personnel allegedly told her to claim she commuted from Texas. CDOC received 37 invoices for her work, all with maps showing a Texas residence, which the agreement says caused more than $110,000 in overbilled travel charges.
These are allegations resolved by a settlement, not court findings. The $63,000 and $110,000 figures are examples for two providers. They are not the total amount of alleged overbilling.
The settlement agreement doesn’t say how long the alleged conduct lasted, according to CBS Colorado.
What Attorney General Phil Weiser Said About the Colorado False Claims Act
Weiser said the Colorado False Claims Act gives the state a powerful tool to protect taxpayer dollars, recover public funds that are misused, and deter fraud against the state.
When Will Staffing Network Holdings Finish Paying Colorado?
Staffing Network Holdings is scheduled to pay the $2.86 million, with interest, in several installments stretching into 2030. Check the executed settlement agreement on the Attorney General’s website for the exact amounts and dates.
Can Colorado Inmates, Patients or Health Care Workers Claim Money From This Settlement?
No. The $2.86 million is payable to the State of Colorado. The settlement doesn’t create a compensation fund for current or former inmates, patients, providers or other residents, and there is no administrator, claim form or deadline.
If a website or ad says you can claim money from this settlement, check it against the Attorney General’s official announcement before giving out any personal or financial information. Anyone with their own legal claim related to prison health care should talk to an attorney about their situation and deadlines.
Did Staffing Network Holdings or QPA Admit Wrongdoing?
The settlement resolves allegations, and a settlement isn’t a trial judgment. Colorado alleged that QPA breached its contract and violated the Colorado False Claims Act. CBS Colorado said it contacted Staffing Network Holdings for comment. Check the settlement agreement for its exact terms on liability.
Colorado Prison Staffing Settlement Timeline
| Date | Event |
| 2018 | QPA’s contract with the Colorado Department of Corrections |
| 2022 | Colorado False Claims Act signed into law |
| End of 2022 | QPA merged into Staffing Network Holdings |
| October 2, 2026 | Attorney General announces the $2.86 million settlement |
| October 4, 2026 | CBS Colorado reports the details of the settlement agreement |
| Through 2030 | Installment payments with interest |
Colorado $2.86 Million Staffing Settlement: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is paying and who is receiving the $2.86 million?
Staffing Network Holdings, LLC is paying, and the State of Colorado is receiving.
Is this a class action?
No. It is a state enforcement settlement under the Colorado False Claims Act and a breach-of-contract claim.
Is there a claim form or deadline?
No. The public can’t claim any of this money.
What did Colorado accuse QPA of?
Using false home addresses for local health care providers to bill higher travel rates to the Department of Corrections.
Why is Staffing Network Holdings the one paying?
QPA was merged into Staffing Network Holdings at the end of 2022.
Is $2.86 million the total amount that was overbilled?
Don’t assume so. The settlement resolves the state’s allegations. The reported examples of over $63,000 and over $110,000 involve two individual providers.
When will the payments finish?
The schedule runs into 2030.
Related AllAboutLawyer False Claims Coverage
Sources Used in This Colorado Prison Staffing Settlement Article
- CBS Colorado, “$2.86 million settlement reached with company accused of overbilling Colorado prison system,” October 4, 2026 (quotes the Attorney General’s press release and the settlement agreement): https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/million-settlement-company-overbilling-colorado-prison-system/
- Colorado Attorney General’s Office, October 2, 2026 announcement and executed settlement agreement: coag.gov/press-releases
Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against CBS Colorado’s October 4, 2026 report, which quotes the Colorado Attorney General’s press release and the settlement agreement, as of October 5, 2026. Last Updated: October 5, 2026.
Disclaimer: This is legal information, not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is not a law firm. The conduct described is alleged and was resolved by settlement. Review the Attorney General’s official materials for the authoritative terms.
About the Author
Israr Ahmad is a legal content researcher with 4+ years of experience covering class action settlements and consumer rights cases. He has researched and published coverage of 2,500+ settlements using verified court records, settlement administrator filings, and government sources. Learn more about Israr.