Finding 1176200 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-03-03

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There were 14 technical errors in Medicaid eligibility documentation, leading to discrepancies between county records and NC FAST system data.
  • Impacted Requirements: Medicaid case records for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled must have accurate documentation and verifications that align with NC FAST.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Conduct internal reviews of files, retrain staff on documentation standards, and ensure all records include necessary verifications and accurate resource calculations.

Finding Text

US Department of Health and Human Services Passed through the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) Assistance Listing Number: 93.778 Finding: 2025 – 001 Significant Deficiency/Noncompliance Eligibility Criteria: Medicaid for Aged, Blind and Disabled case records should contain documentation that verifications were done in preparation of the application and these items will agree to reports in the NC FAST system. In this process, documentation should be present and agree back to the records in the NC FAST system. Any items discovered in the process should be considered resources and explained within the documentation. Condition: There were Fourteen (14) technical errors discovered during our procedures that resources in the county documentation and those same resources contained in NC FAST were not the same amounts or files containing resources were not properly documented to be considered countable or non-countable. The errors were as follows: Six (6) cases lacked substantiating documentation and/or inaccurate resource calculations, Five (5) cases lacked substantiating documentation and/or inaccurate income budgeting/calculation, One (1) case was improperly forced, and Two (2) cases contained errors in the input of household size evidence. Questioned Costs: There was no affect to eligibility and there were no questioned costs. Context: We examined 91 Medicaid transactions out of 110,178 to re-determine eligibility Medicaid claims from the Medicaid beneficiary report provided by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. These findings were disclosed in a separately issued spreadsheet to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and are being reported with the financial statement audit as it relates to Medicaid administrative cost compliance audit. Effect: For those certifications/re-certifications there was a chance that information was not properly documented and reconciled to NC FAST which affect countable resource and a participant could have been approved for benefits that they were not eligible. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2024-001. Cause: Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Recommendation: Files should be reviewed internally to ensure proper documentation is in place for eligibility. Workers should be retrained on what files should contain and the importance of complete and accurate record keeping. We recommend that all files include online verifications, documented resources of income and those amounts agree to information in NC FAST. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: The County agrees with the finding. Supervisors will perform second party reviews to ensure proper documentation is contained in files to support eligibility determinations. Workers will be retrained on what information should be maintained in case files, the importance of complete and accurate record keeping, and reserve calculations.

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action: Trainings, Policy, and Procedures are being developed for all Medicaid caseworkers to follow. Medicaid workers will need to make sure they are working the SSI Termination report to eliminate any future paybacks. Also, a training on SSI Termination / Ex Parte will be conducted with all Medicaid workers, including NC Fast Learning Gateway Training “Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Course”. Proposed Completion Date: June 30, 2026. Certain controls are currently being created and reviewed. Management will continue to monitor the progress of this issues and modify the controls as needed.

Categories

Eligibility Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1176201 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $767,901
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $556,245
10.561 STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MATCHING GRANTS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $312,924
93.563 CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES $220,050
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $175,612
93.658 FOSTER CARE TITLE IV-E $102,521
93.596 CHILD CARE MANDATORY AND MATCHING FUNDS OF THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND $58,773
93.767 CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM $35,908
66.458 CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND $14,025
93.568 LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE $9,086
93.667 SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT $4,778
93.048 SPECIAL PROGRAMS FOR THE AGING, TITLE IV, AND TITLE II, DISCRETIONARY PROJECTS $3,810
93.659 ADOPTION ASSISTANCE $3,576
93.645 STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PROGRAM $3,309
93.071 MEDICARE ENROLLMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $2,135
93.556 MARYLEE ALLEN PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES PROGRAM $1,235
93.674 JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD $231