There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action planned/taken in response to finding: Management concurs with the finding. The Organization acknowledges that controls intended to ensure annual renewal of sliding fee discount applications were not consistently operating as intended. Managemen...
There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action planned/taken in response to finding: Management concurs with the finding. The Organization acknowledges that controls intended to ensure annual renewal of sliding fee discount applications were not consistently operating as intended. Management is strengthening monitoring procedures by implementing tracking mechanisms to identify expiring applications and requiring verification of eligibility documentation prior to continued application of discounts, consistent with the requirement under Section 330(k)(3)(G) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(k)(3)(G)) that health centers establish systems for sliding fee eligibility determination. In addition, management will provide additional training to all billing and front-desk staff on the sliding fee discount program, including eligibility determination, income and household-size documentation requirements, application renewal procedures, and the proper application of discounts in the practice management system. Periodic supervisory reviews will be performed to ensure compliance with the Board-approved sliding fee discount policy, consistent with the internal control requirements of the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200.303). Management will also review the sliding fee discount schedule on a regular basis, no less than annually, and will update it in a timely manner whenever necessary, including upon publication of the annual Federal Poverty Guidelines, so that discounts continue to be adjusted on the basis of each patient’s ability to pay as required by 42 CFR 51c.303(f), with all updates presented to the Board of Directors for approval and communicated promptly to billing staff. Documentation of staff training, schedule reviews, and Board approvals will be retained to demonstrate compliance with HRSA Health Center Program requirements, including Chapter 9 (Sliding Fee Discount Program) of the HRSA Health Center Program Compliance Manual. Name(s) of the contact person(s) responsible for corrective action: Edward Murphy, Asante Muyungga, Charity Gutierrez, Anthony Parker, Bennett Baber, Jannell Robinson. Planned completion date for corrective action plan: December 31st, 2026