Finding 1224326 (2025-001)

Material Weakness Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2025
Accepted
2026-07-21

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There were 30 technical errors in Medicaid eligibility documentation, leading to discrepancies between county records and the NC FAST system.
  • Impacted Requirements: Incomplete documentation and incorrect resource calculations could result in ineligible individuals receiving benefits.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Conduct internal reviews of files, retrain staff on documentation standards, and ensure all records align with NC FAST data.

Finding Text

Significant Deficiency 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) CFDA # 93.778 Finding: 2025 – 001 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 Thirty (30) 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: Three (3) cases had a failure to complete at least one compliance component, Nineteen (19) cases lacked substantiating documentation and/or inaccurate resource calculations, Four (4) cases improperly utilized forced eligibility, Two (2) cases did not have accurate budget calculations, and Two (2) cases had inaccurate needs unit calculations. Questioned Costs: There was no affect to eligibility and there were no questioned costs. Context: We examined 91 Medicaid transactions out of 75,579 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. Cause: Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2024-001. 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

Name of contact person: Melissa Labra, Income Maintenance Administrator II Corrective Action: Caseworkers will receive additional training on inputting the correct income evidence into NCFAST. Caseworkers will receive training on determining the correct base period to use for income calculations Caseworkers will receive training on the work number (TWN) in NCFAST learning gateway. Caseworkers will receive training on income and budgeting policy (MA 3300). Supervisors will conduct second party reviews on applications and recertification’s to determine that the correct procedures are being followed. Supervisors will review cases to verify evidence and supporting documentation match and cases show consistency. Supervisors will review cases to ensure evidence is inputted correctly, including income calculations Proposed Completion Date: August 31, 2026

Categories

Eligibility Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 1224324 2025-003
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1224325 2025-004
    Material Weakness Repeat
  • 1224327 2025-002
    Material Weakness Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $457,632
10.561 STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MATCHING GRANTS FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM $291,801
10.766 COMMUNITY FACILITIES LOANS AND GRANTS $254,339
93.563 CHILD SUPPORT SERVICES $190,437
97.036 DISASTER GRANTS - PUBLIC ASSISTANCE (PRESIDENTIALLY DECLARED DISASTERS) $94,764
97.067 HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM $94,000
93.596 CHILD CARE MANDATORY AND MATCHING FUNDS OF THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND $75,552
14.218 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS/ENTITLEMENT GRANTS $68,878
10.557 WIC SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN $45,829
93.767 CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM $45,337
93.354 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY RESPONSE: COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE: PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE $32,000
93.069 PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS $31,564
93.991 PREVENTIVE HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK GRANT $30,741
93.967 CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION COLLABORATION WITH ACADEMIA TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC HEALTH $18,214
97.042 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE GRANTS $17,590
93.658 FOSTER CARE TITLE IV-E $17,065
93.667 SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT $15,243
93.994 MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES BLOCK GRANT TO THE STATES $14,794
93.217 FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES $13,874
93.659 ADOPTION ASSISTANCE $13,289
16.738 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM $9,200
93.268 IMMUNIZATION COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS $8,832
93.556 MARYLEE ALLEN PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES PROGRAM $6,761
20.600 STATE AND COMMUNITY HIGHWAY SAFETY $2,544
21.027 CORONAVIRUS STATE AND LOCAL FISCAL RECOVERY FUNDS $2,000
93.674 JOHN H. CHAFEE FOSTER CARE PROGRAM FOR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD $1,492
93.645 STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES CHILD WELFARE SERVICES PROGRAM $1,491
93.898 CANCER PREVENTION AND CONTROL PROGRAMS FOR STATE, TERRITORIAL AND TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS $1,300
93.558 TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES $1,245
93.436 WELL-INTEGRATED SCREENING AND EVALUATION FOR WOMEN ACROSS THE NATION (WISEWOMAN) $795
93.917 HIV CARE FORMULA GRANTS $431
93.116 PROJECT GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR TUBERCULOSIS CONTROL PROGRAMS $29
93.568 LOW-INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE $-348