Finding 24219 (2022-004)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2022-12-19
Audit: 20596
Organization: Washington County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Inadequate information was requested during Medicaid applications and redeterminations, leading to potential eligibility errors.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 42 CFR 435 for documentation and electronic matches for eligibility determinations was not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Conduct internal reviews of files, retrain staff on documentation standards, and ensure all records include necessary verifications and clear case notes.

Finding Text

US Department of Health and Human Services Passed through the NC Department of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) CFDA #: 93.778 Finding: 2022-004 Inadequate Request for Information SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: In accordance with 42 CFR 435, documentation must be obtained as needed to determine if a recipient meets specific standards, and documentation must be maintained to support eligibility determinations. Electronic matches are required at applications and redeterminations. Condition: There were 9 errors discovered during our procedures that inadequate information was requested at applications and/or redeterminations. Questioned Costs: There was no known affect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. Context: We examined 60 of a total of 178,430 Medicaid claims from the Medicaid Beneficiary report provided by NC Department of Health and Human Services to re-determine eligibility. These findings 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 and applicants could have been approved for benefits for which they were not eligible. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2021-004. 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 and income and those amounts agree to information in NC FAST. The results found or documentation made in case notes should clearly indicate what actions were performed and the results of those actions. Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: The County agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding: 2022-004 Name of Contact Person: Tammy Mixon, Medicaid Supervisor Corrective Action: "Of the nine cases found as errors during this audit, 100% of the errors were found prior to the agency having an opportunity to train based on the findings from previous fiscal year audit. The findings occurred during the timeframe prior to training from previous period findings. This has been discussed in our monthly Medicaid meeting on August 24, 2021. As a result of that meeting and discussions of the findings, a line was added to the agency's second party review form to look for errors regarding the worker's check of all electronic sources, as well as the documentation on the file of such checks. " Proposed Completion Date: This was discussed in monthly Medicaid meeting held on August 24, 2021. The second party review form was changed and implemented for use September 1, 2021.

Categories

Eligibility

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 24217 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 24218 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 24220 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 600659 2022-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 600660 2022-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 600661 2022-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 600662 2022-005
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.70M
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $623,531
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $356,387
93.563 Child Support Enforcement $249,346
93.658 Foster Care_title IV-E $124,526
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $124,426
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part B_grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $101,113
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $80,066
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part C_nutrition Services $52,088
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $49,267
20.509 Formula Grants for Rural Areas and Tribal Transit Program $49,157
97.039 Hazard Mitigation Grant $39,286
90.404 2018 Hava Election Security Grants $34,574
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $33,700
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $20,870
20.526 Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low Or No Emissions Programs $12,439
93.000 Foster Care $10,567
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $7,627
93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families $7,063
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $6,858
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $6,299
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $4,447
21.019 Coronavirus Relief Fund $420