Finding 3132 (2023-003)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
ABL
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2023-12-04

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Medical Center failed to maintain effective internal controls, leading to expenses exceeding the Executive Level II limit.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 2 CFR 200.303(a) regarding internal control over federal awards was not met.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a control process to ensure reimbursement for salaries over the Executive Level II limit aligns with program restrictions.

Finding Text

Department of Health and Human Services Federal Assistance Listing #93.498 COVID‐19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan Applicable Federal Award Number and Year – Period 4 TIN #426037649 Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles and Reporting Significant Deficiency in Internal Control Over Compliance Criteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over federal awards that provides reasonable assurance that the Medical Center is managing the federal awards in compliance with federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the federal award. Condition: The Medical Center included expenses in excess of the Executive Level II limit in the detail of eligible expenditures. Cause: The Medical Center did not have an internal control process in place to ensure all employees with salaries over the Executive Level II limit had their wages reimbursed by the program limited to the Executive Level II limit. Effect: Without internal control process in place to ensure all employees with salaries over the Executive Level II limit had their wages reimbursed by the program limited to the Executive Level II limit, the allowable expenses was not accurately calculated. Questioned Costs: None over the $25,000 limit. Context: A nonstatistical sample of 65 ($20,973) from a population exceeding 250 items ($2,556,270) were tested for activities allowed or unallowed and allowable costs/cost principles. Repeat Finding from Prior Years: Yes, Finding #2021‐003 Recommendation: We recommend the Medical Center implement a control process which ensures that all employees with salaries over the Executive Level II limit have their wages reimbursed by the program limited to the Executive Level II limit. Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Management agrees with the finding. The Medical Center’s secondary review control will ensure allowable expenses are being claimed.

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Reporting Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 3131 2023-002
    Material Weakness
  • 579573 2023-002
    Material Weakness
  • 579574 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.498 Provider Relief Fund $2.56M
93.155 Rural Health Research Centers $254,631
93.074 Hospital Preparedness Program (hpp) and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (phep) Aligned Cooperative Agreements $45,680
10.766 Community Facilities Loans and Grants $44,292
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $9,100
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $4,836