Finding 516216 (2024-001)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2024-12-20
Audit: 334031
Organization: Yadkin County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: There were multiple instances of inaccurate information entry in Medicaid eligibility determinations, leading to potential misclassification of beneficiaries.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 42 CFR 435 and 2 CFR 200 was not met due to ineffective record keeping and case review processes.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement internal reviews of documentation, retrain staff on record-keeping standards, and ensure all files include necessary verifications and accurate resource documentation.

Finding Text

US Department of Health and Human Services Passed through the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL# 93.778 Finding: 2024-001 Inaccurate Information Entry SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: Condition: Questioned Costs: Context: Effect: Identification of a repeat finding: Cause: 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. In accordance with 2 CFR 200, management should have an adequate system of internal controls procedures in place to ensure an applicant is properly determined or redetermined for benefits. There were 7 errors discovered during our procedures that inaccurate information was entered when determining eligibility. There was no known affect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. We examined 60 cases from of a total of 401,179 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. For those certifications/re-certifications there was a chance that information was not properly documented and reconciled to NC FAST which affect countable resource and a participant could have been approved for benefits that they were not eligible. This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-002 Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Recommendation: Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: US Department of Health and Human Services Passed through the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL# 93.778 Finding: 2024-002 Inaccurate Resources Entry SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: Condition: Questioned Costs: Context: Effect: Identification of a repeat finding: Cause: Recommendation: Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: The County agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan in the following section. The total questioned costs for the ineligibility error noted above did not meet the minimum threshold for reporting. 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. 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 that clearly indicates what actions were performed and the results of those actions. Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued) The County agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan in the following section. Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-003. We examined 60 cases from of a total of 401,179 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. For those certifications/re-certifications there was a chance that information was not properly documented and reconciled to NC FAST and a participant could have been approved for benefits for which they were not eligible. In accordance with Medicaid Manual MA-2230, Medicaid for Aged, Blind and Disabled case records should contain documentation that verifications were done in preparation of the application and these items will agree to reports in the NC FAST system. In this process, the countable resources should be calculated correctly and agree back to the amounts in the NC FAST system. Any items discovered in the verification process should be considered countable or noncountable resources and explained within the documentation. There were 4 errors discovered during our procedures that resources in the county documentation and those same resources contained in NC FAST were not the same amounts or files containing resources were not properly documented to be considered countable or non-countable. Of these, one beneficiary received assistance for which the recipient was not eligible.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding: 2024-001 Name of contact person: Corrective Action: Proposed Completion Date: Finding: 2024-002 Name of contact person: Corrective Action: Proposed Completion Date: Corrective Action Plan For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 Section II - Financial Statement Findings Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs Jessica Wall, Director YCHSA will inititate income calculation quizzes for staff following training to ensure understanding of training around this finding. YCHSA will continue second party at least 76 Medicaid cases per quarter and will do a targeted second party review of an additional 50 cases to verify appropriate income calculations and household members. YCHSA will implement a checklist to be used prior to eligibility decision for applications and recerts that would ensure that determinations in the case and correct outcomes. YCHSA will develop a shared training platform that will include powerpoint presentations and handouts around the areas of accurate information entry. Calculation quizzes will be in use by November 30, 2024. Checklist will be developed and implemented by 11/18/24. YCHSA will complete an additional targeted review of at least 50 cases per quarter beginning with Quarter 2 of Fiscal Year 2025. YCHSA will develop shared training platform with the expectation that staff will have completed at least one module by 11/30/24. Jessica Wall, Director YCHSA will continue second party at least 76 Medicaid cases per quarter and will do a targeted second party review of an additional 15 cases to verify appropriate resource entry. YCHSA will implement a checklist to be used prior to eligibility decision for applications and recertifications that would ensure that appropriate resources have been entered and evaluated. YCHSA will develop a shared training platform that will include powerpoint presentations and handouts around the areas of accurate resource entry. Checklist will be developed and implemented by 11/18/24. YCHSA will complete an additional targeted review of at least 15 cases per quarter beginning with Quarter 2 of Fiscal Year 2025. YCHSA will develop shared training platform with the expectation that staff will have completed at least one module by 11/30/24.

Categories

Eligibility Reporting Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 516217 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 516218 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 516219 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1092658 2024-001
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092659 2024-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092660 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1092661 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $820,021
93.658 Foster Care Title IV-E $400,466
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $271,256
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $252,300
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $243,122
93.563 Child Support Services $238,707
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part C, Nutrition Services $222,344
10.557 Wic Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children $217,233
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $208,546
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part B, Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $101,260
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $79,944
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $60,678
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $51,841
93.977 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (std) Prevention and Control Grants $43,181
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $39,698
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $38,255
93.217 Family Planning Services $36,500
93.659 Adoption Assistance $31,932
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $25,763
16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program $24,438
93.053 Nutrition Services Incentive Program $22,574
93.069 Public Health Emergency Preparedness $21,763
10.916 Watershed Rehabilitation Program $19,440
93.991 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant $19,378
20.703 Interagency Hazardous Materials Public Sector Training and Planning Grants $18,681
93.052 National Family Caregiver Support, Title Iii, Part E $17,053
93.967 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration with Academia to Strengthen Public Health $16,419
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/replacement Designee Administered Programs $11,684
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $10,298
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $3,424
93.110 Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs $2,000
93.917 Hiv Care Formula Grants $572
93.116 Project Grants and Cooperative Agreements for Tuberculosis Control Programs $49