Finding 1142 (2023-001)

-
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
$1
Year
2023
Accepted
2023-11-02
Audit: 2179
Organization: Alliance Health (NC)
Auditor: Cla

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: A service was reimbursed without proper local documentation from the provider.
  • Impacted Requirements: Claims billed through NC Tracks must be backed by adequate local documentation for the date of service.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement controls to ensure thorough review processes for documentation supporting billed services.

Finding Text

2023-001 Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Federal Program Title: Block Grant for Community Mental Health Services CFDA Number: 93.958 Pass-Through Agency: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Pass-Through Number(s): N/A Award Period: July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 Type of Finding: Other Matter Criteria or Specific Requirement: Services billed through NC Tracks are required to be supported by local documentation for the claim date of service. Condition: During our testing, we noted that services billed through NC Tracks were reimbursed for a program participant whose provider was not able to produce local documentation for the date of service selected. Questioned Costs: $70 Context: The identified finding represented 1 of 40 of the case files sampled. Cause: Provider did not maintain sufficient records to support program service billed. Effect: A service was reimbursed that was not able to be substantiated by the provider. Repeat Finding: The finding is not a repeat of a finding in the immediately prior year. Recommendation: The Organization should design controls to ensure an adequate review process is in place to ensure that services billed through NC Tracks are supported by adequate provider documentation. Views of Responsible Officials: There is no disagreement with the audit finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Department of Health and Human Services Alliance Health respectfully submits the following corrective action plan for the year ended June 30, 2023. Audit period: July 01, 2022– June 30, 2023 The finding from the schedule of findings and questioned costs is discussed below. The finding is numbered consistently with the number assigned in the schedule. FINDINGS—FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAMS AUDITS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 2023-001 Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services – CFDA No. 93.958 Recommendation: The Organization should design controls to ensure an adequate review process is in place to ensure that services billed through NC Tracks are supported by adequate provider documentation. Explanation of disagreement with audit finding: There is no disagreement with the audit finding. Action taken in response to finding: Per statute (NC GS § 122C-111) Alliance Health’s Provider Network Evaluation Team will continue to monitor public mental health, intellectual/developmental disability and substance abuse services. Types of monitoring include routine monitoring utilizing the State-mandated DHHS North Carolina Monitoring Process for LME/MCOs, targeted monitoring and investigations to address grievances, complaints, or quality of care concerns. In addition, Alliance Health employs a team of Provider Network Relations staff, Provider Network Operations staff and claims analysts to assist providers with technical assistance and support. Other existing controls include various analytics to detect unusual claim activity such as billing excluded services, improbable dates of services, and atypical billing patterns. Subsequent investigation is initiated as needed upon detection/discovery of questionable billing. To further mitigate this risk, Alliance Health will utilize Alliance’s All Provider Meeting as a platform to re-educate providers on the requirements to have written notes and documentation on file, prior to billing for a service. This will be addressed by Alliance’s Director of Network Operations during Alliance’s 10.19.2023 All Provider Meeting. The meeting will be taped and placed on Alliance’s website for future reference. In addition, Alliance’s Program Integrity Department is actively evaluating the billing in question and will pursue investigation, repayment, and other actions as determined appropriate. Name of the contact person responsible for corrective action: Lynn Widener, Director of Provider Network Operations Planned completion date for corrective action plan: 12/31/2023. If the Department of Health and Human Services has questions regarding this plan, please call Kelly Goodfellow, CFO at 919-651-8757.

Categories

Questioned Costs

Other Findings in this Audit

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.959 Block Grants for Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse $9.33M
93.788 Opioid Str $8.85M
93.958 Block Grants for Community Mental Health Services $4.35M
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $1.65M
93.665 Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Substance Use Disorders During Covid-19 $1.04M
93.243 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services_projects of Regional and National Significance $401,582
14.267 Continuum of Care Program $172,260
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $-2,845