Finding 395832 (2023-005)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
AB
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-05-03
Audit: 305469
Organization: Bertie County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There is a significant deficiency in tracking employee time for Medicaid, leading to discrepancies between day sheets and approved timesheets.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with NCDHHS policy on allowable costs and accurate reporting of employee time is at risk.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement a review control process for weekly timesheets to ensure accurate reporting of all program time.

Finding Text

Significant Deficiency over Activities Allowed and Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles; Information on the federal programs: Medicaid Cluster (Medicaid), Assistance Listing Number 93.778, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, passed through the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), Division of Social Services Criteria: Per the NCDHHS policy manual, salaries, wages, and fringe benefits of Department of Social Service employees hired under the state merit system are allowable. Salaries shall be allocated to programs by time distribution methods and supported by payroll and attendance records for individuals. Condition: Employee’s time is tracked through the use of day sheets in which employees track their time by service code in 6-minute increments. Day sheets are used to complete weekly timesheets which are approved by supervisors. We noted two out of twenty-three daysheets selected for Medicaid had more program minutes than what was reported on the employee’s approved time sheet. Context/Cause: The day sheets included more program time than was included on the employee’s approved timesheet. We noted the above condition in two out of twenty-three day sheets selected for Medicaid. Effects: Inaccurate reporting of time coded to programs could affect the total federal and state reimbursement for the program. Recommendation: We recommend that the County implements a review control over weekly timesheets to ensure the timesheets include all program time coded on the daysheets. Auditee’s Response: We concur with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding: 2023‐005: Significant Deficiency over Activities Allowed and Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles Name of Contact Person: Daphine Little, Director of Bertie County Department of Social Services Corrective Action/Management's Response: DSS agrees that there were some discrepancies found in two out of twenty‐three employee daysheets vs. timesheets resulting in more program time reported on the daysheets than the approved timesheets. Supervisors  are  responsible  for  ensuring  that  time  reported  on  employee  daysheets  matches  the  timesheets.  Bertie  County DSS utilizes an Excel spreadsheet provided by Bertie County Government that is completed by each employee monthly to report time worked. As it is the Supervisor’s responsibility to verify and approve the accuracy of employee daysheets, the Supervisor is expected to reconcile time reported on employee daysheets to time reported on employee timesheets. Plan of Action:  Provide  employees  with  a  copy  of  Power  Point  Training ‐Day  Sheets:  Time  Reporting  and  Reimbursement  for County DSS (2022).  Reiterate the importance of employees reporting the same amount of time on the daysheet vs. the timesheet.  Communicate with Supervisors the importance of reconciling employee daysheets vs. timesheets. Proposed Completion Date:  March 1, 2024

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Reporting Cash Management Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 395833 2023-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 972274 2023-005
    Significant Deficiency
  • 972275 2023-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $1.07M
93.563 Child Support Enforcement $454,576
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $301,620
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $226,089
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $199,508
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part B_grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $187,027
21.032 Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund $148,903
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $61,065
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $57,734
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part C_nutrition Services $46,441
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $39,032
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $37,823
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $26,903
93.658 Foster Care_title IV-E $23,748
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $19,577
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $8,162
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $4,434
93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families $4,311
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $3,168
10.351 Rural Business Development Grant $2,513