Finding: The Department of Health did not have adequate internal controls to ensure payments to providers were allowable, met cost principles, and were within the period of performance for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Questioned Costs: Assistance L...
Finding: The Department of Health did not have adequate internal controls to ensure payments to providers were allowable, met cost principles, and were within the period of performance for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. Questioned Costs: Assistance Listing # 10.557 10.557 COVID-19 Amount $0 Status: Corrective action not taken Corrective Action: The Department disagrees with the auditor?s assessment of a significant deficiency in internal controls over the consolidated contract provider payment process for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The Department has established processes in place to ensure payments are allowable, meet cost principles, and comply with period of performance requirements for the WIC program. These include: ? Perform annual review and approval of detailed subrecipient budgets. ? Compare invoice amounts to budgeted amounts for reasonableness before payment approval. ? Provide subrecipients regular technical assistance and training on applicable policies related to fiscal and programmatic processes. ? Conduct biennial program and fiscal monitoring visits to subrecipients as part of the Department?s monitoring procedures. In addition, the WIC program has monitoring controls in place and evidence of review at the program level. The quality assurance program staff maintain a detailed payment log that documents review and approval and details any amounts that need to be withheld until issues with invoice support are resolved. These reviews are to be completed within the 10-day period before payment is released. Similar conditions noted in this finding were previously reported in finding 2021-004. Completion Date: Not applicable Agency Contact: Jeff Arbuckle External Audit Manager PO Box 47890 Olympia, WA 98504-7890 (360) 701-0798 Jeff.Arbuckle@doh.wa.gov