Audit 406737

FY End
2023-12-31
Total Expended
$10.74M
Findings
1
Programs
5
Year: 2023 Accepted: 2026-07-08

Organization Exclusion Status:

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Findings

ID Ref Severity Repeat Requirement
1223235 2023-002 Material Weakness Yes L

Programs

Contacts

Name Title Type
HH9SVD27UMA6 Bruce Houlihan Auditee
4064555483 Mary Wright Auditor
No contacts on file

Notes to SEFA

The accompanying schedule of expenditures of federal awards (the Schedule) includes the federal grant activity of Benefis Health System, Inc. and Affiliates (the Organization) under programs of the federal government for the year ended December 31, 2023. The information in this Schedule is presented in accordance with the requirements of Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 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 Organization, it is not intended to and does not present the financial position, changes in net assets or cash flows of the Organization
Expenditures reported on the Schedule are reported on the accrual basis of accounting with special consideration for the federal emergency management agency expenditures (see Note 6). 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. Pass through entity identifying numbers are presented where available.
The amounts shown as current year expenses represent only federal grant portion of the program costs. Entire program costs may be more than shown.
The Organization has not elected to use the 10% de minimis indirect cost rate allowed under the Uniform Guidance.
No amounts were provided to subrecipients under programs of the federal government for the year ended December 31, 2023.
The Schedule includes eligible expenditures related to the COVID-19 Disaster Grants – Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters) project that were incurred during fiscal years 2020 through 2023. These expenditures were approved by the State of Montana Disaster and Human Services Division during the period ended December 31, 2023. The amount of expenditures incurred in prior periods and included in the current period Schedule totaled $10,675,737.

Finding Details

Criteria – In accordance with the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), Subpart E – Cost Principles, and the program’s grant agreement, costs charged to federal awards must be necessary, reasonable, and applicable to the federal program. Condition/Context – The Organization did not have an effective review process for ensuring that federal expenditures were properly allocated and not claimed under multiple federal grants. The initial sample identified expenditures that had already been reimbursed by a different federal grant program. The Organization reported the issue and received approval from the agency to re-establish the population to exclude the costs that were already allocated to another federal grant in a previous period. Effect – While the Organization consulted with the funding agency and received approval to provide an updated population, the original population included expenditures that were already reimbursed by another federal grant program. That process required more time, and the Organization missed the single audit submission deadline. Cause – The primary cause of this finding is insufficient coordination between the Organization and the consultant that assisted with the grant application, coupled with the Organization’s lack of familiarity with the funding agency’s process. The resulting review process did not detect the inclusion of expenditures reimbursed by a different federal grant program. Repeat Finding – This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation – To help prevent the same costs being reported and reimbursed by more than one grant program, we recommend the Organization establish and implement a comprehensive review of program expenditures that could be allowable under multiple programs. Views of Responsible Officials – The responsible officials acknowledge the finding, concur with the recommendation and noted that corrective action has been taken.