Finding 410385 (2022-006)

Material Weakness
Requirement
ABL
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-01-29
Audit: 311964
Organization: Washington County Hospital (IL)
Auditor: Eide Bailly LLP

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: The Hospital lacks a formal process for reviewing and approving expenditures related to the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund.
  • Impacted Requirements: This violates 2 CFR 200.303(a), which mandates effective internal controls over federal awards.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Enhance internal control policies to ensure documentation of review and approval is consistently obtained and retained.

Finding Text

2022-006 Department of Health and Human ServicesFederal Financial Assistance Listing #93.498COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural DistributionApplicable Federal Award Number and Year ? Period 1 TIN #376020408Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles and ReportingMaterial Weakness in Internal Control Over ComplianceCriteria: 2 CFR 200.303(a) establishes that the auditee must establish and maintain effective internal control over the federal award that provides assurance that the entity is managing the federal award in compliance with federal statutes, regulations, and conditions of the federal award.Condition: There was no evidence of formal review and approval over tracking of expenditures that wereclaimed for the program. In addition, there was no evidence retained that the Hospital?s special reportsubmitted to the Department of Health and Human Services for Period 1 TIN #376020408 was reviewed orapproved by an individual separate from the preparer prior to submission. The approval for individual payroll and fringe benefit expenditures was not retained in the transition to a new payroll software, and certain other expenditures did not have retained approval.Cause: The Hospital did not have an internal control process in place to ensure documentation of review and approval was retained for individual expenditures, the workpaper tracking expenditures claimed under the federal program, and the special report submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services for Period 1.Effect: The lack of adequate policies governing review, approval, and retention of documents increases the risk that employees participating in the federal awards administration may not be able to detect and correct noncompliance in a timely.Questioned Costs: None reported.Repeat Finding from Prior Years: NoRecommendation: We recommend the Hospital enhance internal control policies to ensure that formal documentation of review and approval is obtained and retained.Views of Responsible Officials: Management agrees with the finding.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2022-006Federal Agency Name: Department of Health and Human ServicesProgram Name: COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural DistributionFederal Financial Assistance Listing #93.498Compliance Requirement: Activities Allowed or Unallowed and Allowable Costs/Cost Principles and ReportingFinding Summary: There was no evidence of formal review and approval over tracking of expenditures that were claimed for the program. In addition, there was no evidence retained that the Hospital's special report submitted to the Department of Health and Human Services for Period 1 TIN #376020408 was reviewed or approved by an individual separate from the preparer prior to submission. The approval for individual payroll and fringe benefit expenditures was not retained in the transition to a new payroll software, and certain other expenditures did not have retained approval.Responsible Individuals: Jennifer Venable, CFOCorrective Action Plan: Management agrees with the finding. In subsequent reporting a formal approval by the CEO will be kept as part of the reporting documentation. This will include both the expenditure tracking documentation as well as the report itself. Payroll approval occurs within the payroll system. Approval logs will be retained as part of the record keeping workflow going forward .Anticipated Completion Date: January 25, 2023

Categories

Allowable Costs / Cost Principles Material Weakness Reporting

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 410382 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 410383 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 410384 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 410386 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 410387 2022-007
    Significant Deficiency
  • 986824 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 986825 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 986826 2022-005
    Material Weakness
  • 986827 2022-006
    Material Weakness
  • 986828 2022-004
    Material Weakness
  • 986829 2022-007
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.498 Provider Relief Fund $3.82M
93.155 Rural Health Research Centers $256,978
93.301 Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program $10,833
93.912 Rural Health Care Services Outreach, Rural Health Network Development and Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement $7,500