Finding 516066 (2024-006)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2024-12-19
Audit: 333850
Organization: Edgecombe County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Inadequate request for information led to significant deficiencies in eligibility documentation for Medicaid applications and re-certifications.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 42 CFR 435, which mandates proper documentation and electronic matches for eligibility determinations.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Conduct internal reviews of files, retrain workers on documentation standards, and ensure all necessary verifications are included and accurately recorded.

Finding Text

Services Passed through the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL # 93.778 Finding: 2024-006 Inadequate Request for Information SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY 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 of 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. Please refer to the corrective action plan for details. Cause: Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Cause: Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Effect: For those certifications/re-certifications there was a chance that information was not properly documented and reconciled to NC FAST which could affect countable resource. Therefore, applicants could have received assistance for which they were not eligible. Context: We examined 60 cases from of a total of 1,005,637 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. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-006. Questioned Costs: There was no known affect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. 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 12 errors discovered during our procedures where required information needed for eligibility determinations were not requested or not requested timely at applications or redeterminations. Identification of a repeat finding: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-007. Section III. Federal Award Findings (continued)

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action: Application checklist updated to include a line items to ask if the client owns their home; does the client have to pay rent or any other living expenses; and was the case evaluated for 1/3 reduction if applicable. These additions to the checklist will serve as a reminder to the worker that all of these areas are covered when working the case. Training will be conducted with all workers on MA-2261 1/3 Reduction, and MA-2230 Financial Resources. Medicaid Supervisors and Quality Control workers will review files internally to ensure policy is applied to all cases and that the evidence entered into NCFAST matches the information in determinations. Proposed Completion Date: Training and implementation of additional reviews and procedures will be implemented by January 15, 2025. Proposed Completion Date: Training and implementation of additional reviews and procedures will be implemented by January 15, 2025. Name of contact person: Virginia Ewuell and Angel Joyner, Medicaid Supervisors. Denise McKnight, Social Services Program Administrator Corrective Action: SSI termination reports are being worked and monitored to ensure that SSI terminated recepients are reviewed and acted on timely. Application checklist has been updated with the line item to check to see if SSI has been terminated. Medicaid Supervisors and Quality Control workers will review files internally to ensure policy is applied to all cases and that the evidence entered into NCFAST matches the information in determinations.

Categories

Eligibility Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 516063 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 516064 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 516065 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 516067 2024-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092505 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092506 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092507 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092508 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092509 2024-007
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.760 Water and Waste Disposal Systems for Rural Communities $6.73M
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $2.14M
93.563 Child Support Services $1.12M
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $953,270
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $890,693
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $456,861
93.658 Foster Care Title IV-E $405,585
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $227,381
10.557 Wic Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children $218,798
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $200,103
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part C, Nutrition Services $185,005
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $155,560
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $144,892
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $96,928
93.967 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration with Academia to Strengthen Public Health $95,528
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $88,095
93.917 Hiv Care Formula Grants $65,613
93.217 Family Planning Services $56,864
97.067 Homeland Security Grant Program $54,000
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $49,668
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part B, Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $45,793
16.001 Law Enforcement Assistance Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Laboratory Analysis $42,330
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $39,698
93.069 Public Health Emergency Preparedness $34,935
93.053 Nutrition Services Incentive Program $30,703
93.991 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant $29,265
20.600 State and Community Highway Safety $28,249
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $24,856
93.116 Project Grants and Cooperative Agreements for Tuberculosis Control Programs $21,327
16.607 Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program $21,060
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $11,948
93.659 Adoption Assistance $6,874
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $5,546
93.556 Marylee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program $3,842
93.898 Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial and Tribal Organizations $380
93.977 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (std) Prevention and Control Grants $58