Audit 301891

FY End
2023-06-30
Total Expended
$885,983
Findings
8
Programs
5
Organization: Ashley Medical Center (ND)
Year: 2023 Accepted: 2024-04-01
Auditor: Eide Bailly LLP

Organization Exclusion Status:

Checking exclusion status...

Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
391321 2023-003 Material Weakness Yes AB
391322 2023-004 Material Weakness Yes ABL
391323 2023-005 Material Weakness Yes AB
391324 2023-006 Material Weakness Yes L
967763 2023-003 Material Weakness Yes AB
967764 2023-004 Material Weakness Yes ABL
967765 2023-005 Material Weakness Yes AB
967766 2023-006 Material Weakness Yes L

Contacts

Name Title Type
G9D6LNJ9M986 Corey Ulmer Auditee
7012885258 Ashley Brandt-Duda Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

Title: Basis of Presentation Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. When applicable, such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. No federal financial assistance has been provided to a subrecipient. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The Medical Center does not draw for indirect administrative expenses and has not elected to use the 10% de minimis cost rate. The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal award activity of the Medical Center under programs of the federal government for the year ended June 30, 2023. The information is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance). Because the Schedule presents only a selected portion of the operations of the Medical Center, it is not intended to and does not present the operations, changes in net assets, or cash flows of the Medical Center.
Title: COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural Distribution Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. When applicable, such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. No federal financial assistance has been provided to a subrecipient. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The Medical Center does not draw for indirect administrative expenses and has not elected to use the 10% de minimis cost rate. The Medical Center received amounts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution (PRF) program (Federal Financial Assistance Listing #93.498) during the years ended June 30, 2020, June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2022. The PRF expenditures were not recognized on the schedule until the expenditures were included in the reporting to HHS for the funds received prior to December 31, 2021, as required under the PRF program. The Medical Center recorded $388,309 of Provider Relief Funds and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Funds on the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards as of June 30, 2023. The total amount of PRF expenditures included on the Schedule requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts. Accordingly, such expenditures are considered a significant estimate. Estimates and assumptions may include reducing actual expenses by amounts that have been reimbursed or are obligated to be reimbursed by other sources and estimating marginal increases in expenses related to coronavirus. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.
Title: Loan Programs Accounting Policies: Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting. When applicable, such expenditures are recognized following the cost principles contained in the Uniform Guidance, wherein certain types of expenditures are not allowable or are limited as to reimbursement. No federal financial assistance has been provided to a subrecipient. De Minimis Rate Used: N Rate Explanation: The Medical Center does not draw for indirect administrative expenses and has not elected to use the 10% de minimis cost rate. Expenditures reported in this Schedule consist of the beginning of the year outstanding loan balance of the Medical Center’s USDA direct loan. The Medical Center’s outstanding loan balance for the USDA direct loan at June 30, 2023 was $158,166.

Finding Details

Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. The Medical Center claimed expenses based on specifically identified COVID related expenses. Condition: The Medical Center does not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval of cash disbursements claimed under the federal programs were documented and to ensure that expenses claimed in the Report were complete, accurate, and reduced by other funding sources. Cause: The Medical Center did not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval of cash disbursements claimed under the federal programs were documented and to ensure that expenses claimed in the Report were complete, accurate, and reduced by other funding sources. Effect: The lack of adequate policies governing cash disbursements and Report preparation and submission increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: None reported. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 32 of 156 expenditures were selected for testing. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐005 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure all amounts reimbursed by other funding sources are adequately documented and reduced from the eligible expenditure listing and are properly recorded in the Report required to be submitted to the federal agency. We also recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure that the required Report are properly reviewed prior to submission to ensure all key line items are necessary, correct, meet the requirements of the federal program, and are properly recorded in the Report required to be submitted to the federal agency. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles, and Reporting Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center’s final expenditure listing, lost revenue calculation identified as eligible and claimed under the Provider Relief Fund program, and special report submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services for Period 4 did not have evidence of being reviewed and approved by a separate individual outside of the preparer. Cause: The Medical Center did not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval over specifically identified invoices, the final expenditure listing, the lost revenue calculation, or preparation of HHS Period 4 reporting were documented. Effect: The lack of adequate policies governing the review and approval of invoices, expenditure listing, lost revenue calculation and the HHS Period 4 report increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Without a secondary review and approval, there is a possibility that ineligible expenditures may be claimed under the program. Questioned Costs: None reported. Context: Detail testing was completed over the final expenditure listing of the expenses along with the calculation for lost revenue for activities allowed and unallowable and allowable cost/cost principles. The overall expense listing and lost revenue worksheet did not have evidence of a review by someone other than the preparer (i.e., population of two). The Report submitted to HHS also did not have a documented secondary review and approval (i.e., population of one). Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐006 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure all invoices are reviewed and approved to ensure all expenses claimed under the federal program are necessary, correct, and meet the requirements of the federal program. We also recommend the Medical Center implement a control process which includes a secondary review and approval of the final expenditure listing and lost revenue calculation used to claim the allowable costs under the federal program and that there is documented evidence of the review and approval. In addition, the Report submitted to HHS should have a secondary review and approval that is documented. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center selected lost revenue calculation option i which is actual to actual methodology of calculating lost revenues attributable to coronavirus. The Medical Center did not incorporate the financial audit adjustments into the actual revenue amounts reported within the HHS special report for the fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Cause: The Medical Center did not have a policy in place to incorporate the financial audit adjustments into the actual revenue amounts reported within the HHS special report for the fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. These entries should have been applied on a quarterly basis. Effect: The fiscal year 2019 audit adjustments not incorporated would have reduced net patient service revenue by $34,822. The fiscal year 2020 audit adjustments would have reduced net patient service revenue by $81,355. The fiscal year 2021 audit adjustments would have increased net patient service revenue by $167,235. Overall, the effect on lost revenue after applying these quarterly to the applicable quarters resulted in the Medical Center claiming more lost revenue than it should have. These errors noted indicate there is lack of adequate policies governing the review and approval of the lost revenue calculation and the HHS Period 4 report. Without a secondary review and approval, there is a possibility that these errors occur. Questioned Costs: None reported. While lost revenue was overstated by $170,615, the Medical Center reported excess lost revenue of $521,021. Context: All key line items in the HHS report for Period 4 were tested. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐007 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure the lost revenue calculation is supported by internal financials. This would include implementing a secondary review and approval over the final lost revenue calculation. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Reporting Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance and Material Noncompliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center claimed lost revenues that were incorrectly calculated or not supported. These were improperly included within the HHS Report Period 4 and caused the Report to be inaccurate. Cause: The Medical Center over claimed lost revenue under option i by not factoring in the audit adjustments for fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Effect: The lack of adequate policies over the special report preparation and submission increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: None reported. While lost revenue was overstated by $170,615, the Medical Center reported excess lost revenue of $521,021. Context: All key line items in the HHS report for Period 4 were tested. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐008 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure that the required reports are properly reviewed prior to submission to ensure all key line items are necessary, correct, meet the requirements of the federal program, and are properly recorded in the reports required to be submitted to the federal agency. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. The Medical Center claimed expenses based on specifically identified COVID related expenses. Condition: The Medical Center does not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval of cash disbursements claimed under the federal programs were documented and to ensure that expenses claimed in the Report were complete, accurate, and reduced by other funding sources. Cause: The Medical Center did not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval of cash disbursements claimed under the federal programs were documented and to ensure that expenses claimed in the Report were complete, accurate, and reduced by other funding sources. Effect: The lack of adequate policies governing cash disbursements and Report preparation and submission increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: None reported. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 32 of 156 expenditures were selected for testing. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐005 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure all amounts reimbursed by other funding sources are adequately documented and reduced from the eligible expenditure listing and are properly recorded in the Report required to be submitted to the federal agency. We also recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure that the required Report are properly reviewed prior to submission to ensure all key line items are necessary, correct, meet the requirements of the federal program, and are properly recorded in the Report required to be submitted to the federal agency. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles, and Reporting Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center’s final expenditure listing, lost revenue calculation identified as eligible and claimed under the Provider Relief Fund program, and special report submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services for Period 4 did not have evidence of being reviewed and approved by a separate individual outside of the preparer. Cause: The Medical Center did not have an adequate internal control policy in place to ensure review and approval over specifically identified invoices, the final expenditure listing, the lost revenue calculation, or preparation of HHS Period 4 reporting were documented. Effect: The lack of adequate policies governing the review and approval of invoices, expenditure listing, lost revenue calculation and the HHS Period 4 report increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Without a secondary review and approval, there is a possibility that ineligible expenditures may be claimed under the program. Questioned Costs: None reported. Context: Detail testing was completed over the final expenditure listing of the expenses along with the calculation for lost revenue for activities allowed and unallowable and allowable cost/cost principles. The overall expense listing and lost revenue worksheet did not have evidence of a review by someone other than the preparer (i.e., population of two). The Report submitted to HHS also did not have a documented secondary review and approval (i.e., population of one). Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐006 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure all invoices are reviewed and approved to ensure all expenses claimed under the federal program are necessary, correct, and meet the requirements of the federal program. We also recommend the Medical Center implement a control process which includes a secondary review and approval of the final expenditure listing and lost revenue calculation used to claim the allowable costs under the federal program and that there is documented evidence of the review and approval. In addition, the Report submitted to HHS should have a secondary review and approval that is documented. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Activities Allowed or Unallowed, Allowable Costs/Costs Principles Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center selected lost revenue calculation option i which is actual to actual methodology of calculating lost revenues attributable to coronavirus. The Medical Center did not incorporate the financial audit adjustments into the actual revenue amounts reported within the HHS special report for the fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Cause: The Medical Center did not have a policy in place to incorporate the financial audit adjustments into the actual revenue amounts reported within the HHS special report for the fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. These entries should have been applied on a quarterly basis. Effect: The fiscal year 2019 audit adjustments not incorporated would have reduced net patient service revenue by $34,822. The fiscal year 2020 audit adjustments would have reduced net patient service revenue by $81,355. The fiscal year 2021 audit adjustments would have increased net patient service revenue by $167,235. Overall, the effect on lost revenue after applying these quarterly to the applicable quarters resulted in the Medical Center claiming more lost revenue than it should have. These errors noted indicate there is lack of adequate policies governing the review and approval of the lost revenue calculation and the HHS Period 4 report. Without a secondary review and approval, there is a possibility that these errors occur. Questioned Costs: None reported. While lost revenue was overstated by $170,615, the Medical Center reported excess lost revenue of $521,021. Context: All key line items in the HHS report for Period 4 were tested. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐007 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure the lost revenue calculation is supported by internal financials. This would include implementing a secondary review and approval over the final lost revenue calculation. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.
Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing/CFDA #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Rural Distribution Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 1 TIN #450255914 Reporting Material Weakness in Internal Control Over Compliance and Material Noncompliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center claimed lost revenues that were incorrectly calculated or not supported. These were improperly included within the HHS Report Period 4 and caused the Report to be inaccurate. Cause: The Medical Center over claimed lost revenue under option i by not factoring in the audit adjustments for fiscal years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Effect: The lack of adequate policies over the special report preparation and submission increases the risk that employees participating in the federal award administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely manner. Questioned Costs: None reported. While lost revenue was overstated by $170,615, the Medical Center reported excess lost revenue of $521,021. Context: All key line items in the HHS report for Period 4 were tested. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, 2021‐008 Recommendation: We recommend that the Medical Center enhance internal control policies to ensure that the required reports are properly reviewed prior to submission to ensure all key line items are necessary, correct, meet the requirements of the federal program, and are properly recorded in the reports required to be submitted to the federal agency. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.