Finding 375454 (2021-003)

Material Weakness
Requirement
L
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2021
Accepted
2024-03-11
Audit: 294509
Organization: Hale County Hospital (AL)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Hospital inaccurately reported certain COVID-related expenses in the Period 1 PRF report, including ineligible and duplicate expenses.
  • Impacted Requirements: Internal controls must ensure compliance with reporting standards outlined in 45 CFR 75.342.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Update policies and procedures for federal grant reporting to improve accuracy in expense classification and quarterly reporting.

Finding Text

Criteria: The Authority should have appropriate internal controls in place to ensure that the reporting requirements are met, and that amounts utilized in the reports are reported accurately and in accordance with 45 CFR 75.342. Condition: The Period 1 Provider Relief Fund (PRF) report submitted during the year ended September 30, 2021, was tested. Certain expenses identified by management for reimbursement were for ineligible expenses, including 12 expenses totaling $10,700 incurred prior to COVID and 26 duplicate expenses totaling $17,084. However, the Hospital had sufficient other eligible COVID related expenses to substitute for the ineligible expenses. As a result, the Hospital incorrectly reported a portion of eligible expenses in the wrong quarter and the wrong expense classification on the Period 1 PRF report. Cause: Certain expenses reported were not reported in the proper quarterly period and the type of expense was misclassified. Effect: Errors were made in the reporting of quarterly COVID expenses on the Period 1 PRF. However, there was no impact to total funding received or retained by the Hospital due to the error. The total amount of COVID expenses reported for the Period 1 PRF was accurate, and the amount reported per the schedule of expenditures of federal awards was also accurate. Questioned Costs: None. Repeat Finding: This is not a repeat finding. Recommendation: Policies and procedures over federal grant reporting should be modified to ensure amounts are reported accurately. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: Management agrees with the finding and is in the process of implementing the recommendations.

Corrective Action Plan

We are implementing policies to address the audit finding 2021-003 as follows: We have implemented a policy to ensure that all future Provider Relief Fund reporting is reviewed prior to filing. Anticipated completion date: September 30, 2024

Categories

Reporting Cash Management Eligibility

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 375452 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 375453 2021-002
    Material Weakness
  • 951894 2021-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 951895 2021-002
    Material Weakness
  • 951896 2021-003
    Material Weakness

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.498 Provider Relief Fund $5.45M
93.461 Covid-19 Testing for the Uninsured $34,160
93.301 Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program $10,200