Finding 517119 (2023-002)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2023
Accepted
2024-12-30
Audit: 334996
Organization: Beaufort County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Inaccurate information entry in eligibility determinations for Medicaid, with 7 errors identified.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with 42 CFR 435 and 2 CFR 200 regarding documentation and internal controls for eligibility assessments.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Implement retraining for staff on documentation standards and ensure all files include necessary verifications and accurate record-keeping.

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: 2023-002 Inaccurate Information Entry SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: Condition: Section II. Financial Statement Findings (continued) Section III. Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs 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. Questioned Costs: Context: Effect: Identification of a repeat finding: Cause: 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: 2023-003 Inaccurate Resources Entry SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2022-001. We examined 60 cases from of a total of 553,427 Medicaid claims from the Medicaid beneficiary report provided by NC Department of Health and Human Services to redetermine eligibility. These findings are being reported with the financial statement audit as it relates to Medicaid administrative cost compliance audit. The County agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan in the following section. Section III. Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (Continued) 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. 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. Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility.

Corrective Action Plan

Finding 2023-002 Name of contact person: Corrective Action: Training will be provided the week of September 5, 2023 to review findigns of corrective action items. Trainings will continue every week to review policy changes, NCFAST updates, as well as common errors that may be found during second party reviews. Two applications cited in error were processed by temporary staff hired to assist with the volume of Crisis Intervention applications as well as the Low-Income Energy Assistance applications. Two applications cited in error were processed by an employee who has retired. Training will be provided to all temporary staff when hired to ensure applications are processed accurately and all necessary information is requested. Supervisor will be reviewing records internally to ensure accuracy of cases. Applications will be revieiwed and monitored on a rotation basis. Findings from second party reviews will be reviwed with the worker to monitor a pattern for errors and will review policy guidelines to ensure worker is knowledgeable of policy requirements. Training will also be provided to ensure all files include online verifications. Supervisors will provide training to ensure workers are aware of proper documentation required to support eligibilty decisions. Checklists have been established to include errors cited during the audit. Checklists are to be completed at all applications. Amy Spring, Income Maintenance Administrator Supervisors, will ensure staff complete all required trainings provided by the Division of Health Benefits. Supervisors will provide additional training, when needed to ensure staff have a good understanding of all current and new policy as policy continuously changes. Records will be reviewed internally to ensure cases provide proper documentation. Workers will be trained on the importance of ensuring files include, online verifications, documentation of resources and ensuring, documented resources and income match information entered in NCFAST. Documentation in files should provide clear steps taken by caseworkers to determine eligibility. Checklists have been established to include errors cited during audit. Checklists are to be completed at applications and recertifications, As policy changes and new recommendations are provided by the state, checklists are updated to ensure staff are aware of the most recent policy and procedures.

Categories

Eligibility Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 517120 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 517121 2023-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1093561 2023-002
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1093562 2023-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1093563 2023-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $1.40M
93.658 Foster Care_title IV-E $677,580
93.563 Child Support Enforcement $627,803
10.557 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children $316,863
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $308,768
14.239 Home Investment Partnerships Program $205,359
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $144,987
93.092 Affordable Care Act (aca) Personal Responsibility Education Program $119,009
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $106,395
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $97,359
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $95,409
93.354 Public Health Emergency Response: Cooperative Agreement for Emergency Response: Public Health Crisis Response $95,352
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $72,741
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $63,850
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part B_grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $62,278
21.032 Local Assistance $50,000
93.000 Foster Care $46,088
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $44,164
93.217 Family Planning_services $42,975
97.042 Emergency Management Performance Grants $39,032
93.069 Public Health Emergency Preparedness $34,719
93.556 Promoting Safe and Stable Families $32,502
93.991 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant $30,607
93.110 Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs $30,000
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $24,780
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $21,344
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $19,206
93.898 Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial and Tribal Organizations $19,000
93.053 Nutrition Services Incentive Program $18,513
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $12,859
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $8,195
93.659 Adoption Assistance $5,862
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging_title Iii, Part C_nutrition Services $5,782
93.116 Project Grants and Cooperative Agreements for Tuberculosis Control Programs $2,260
93.977 Preventive Health Services_sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Grants $100
12.401 National Guard Military Operations and Maintenance (o&m) Projects $90