Finding 522216 (2024-004)

Significant Deficiency Repeat Finding
Requirement
E
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2024
Accepted
2025-02-06
Audit: 341449
Organization: Lee County (NC)

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Inaccurate resource information entry and inadequate request for information in Medicaid eligibility determinations.
  • Impacted Requirements: Compliance with Medicaid Manual MA-2230 and 42 CFR 435 regarding documentation and verification processes.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Retrain staff on documentation standards and conduct internal reviews to ensure accurate record-keeping and compliance with eligibility criteria.

Finding Text

LEE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 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 Department of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL #: 93.778 Finding: 2024-004 Inaccurate Resources Information Entry SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY Eligibility Criteria: Condition: Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued) 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 1 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. 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. The County agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan in the following section. We examined 60 cases from a total of 708,144 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. 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. This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-001. Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. Files should be reviewed internally to ensure proper documentation is in place for 164LEE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 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 Department of Health and Human Services Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL #: 93.778 Finding: 2024-005 SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY Eligibility Criteria: Condition: Questioned Costs: Section III. Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued) Inadequate Request for Information 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. There were 5 errors discovered during our procedures that inadequate information was requested at applications and/or redeterminations. There was no known effect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. The County agrees with the finding. See Corrective Action Plan in the following section. There was no known effect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. We examined 60 cases from a total of 708,144 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. 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. This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-002. Ineffective record keeping and ineffective case review process, incomplete documentation, and incorrect application of rules for purposes of determining eligibility. 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. 165

Corrective Action Plan

Corrective Action Plan For the Year Ended June 30, 2024 Finding 2024-004 Inaccurate Resources Entry Name of contact person: Sabrina Magedanz, Medicaid Program Manager Corrective Action: Proposed completion date: 10/17/2024 Finding 2024-005 Inadequate Request for Information Name of contact person: Sabrina Magedanz, Medicaid Program Manager Corrective Action: Proposed completion date: 10/09/2024 and 10/17/2024 Finding 2024-006 Untimely Review of SSI Terminations Name of contact person: Sabrina Magedanz, Medicaid Program Manager Corrective Action: Proposed completion date: 10/17/2024 Section III - Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued) Training has been conducted on the Inaccurate Resource topic with staff specifically concerning the finding areas and ensuring all verified resources are appropriately updated in the NC FAST evidence. Second party reviews will be enhanced to ensure those conducting the review ensure that proper procedures are being followed with regard to these policies. Training has been conducted on the Inadequate Request for Information topic with staff specifically concerning the finding areas and ensuring all required requests for information are sent via 5097/20020 where applicable. Second party reviews will be enhanced to ensure those conducting the review ensure that proper procedures are being followed with regard to these policies. Training has been conducted on the Untimely Review of SSI Terminations topic with staff specifically concerning the finding areas and ensuring all timeframes are adhered to when processing actions. Second party reviews will be enhanced to ensure those conducting the review ensure that proper procedures are being followed with regard to these policies. 170

Categories

Eligibility Significant Deficiency

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 522215 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 522217 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 522218 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency
  • 1098657 2024-003
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1098658 2024-004
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1098659 2024-005
    Significant Deficiency Repeat
  • 1098660 2024-006
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
93.778 Medical Assistance Program $2.05M
21.027 Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds $1.06M
10.561 State Administrative Matching Grants for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program $888,870
93.563 Child Support Services $735,618
93.558 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families $439,802
10.557 Wic Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children $315,229
93.667 Social Services Block Grant $292,831
93.767 Children's Health Insurance Program $253,029
20.509 Formula Grants for Rural Areas and Tribal Transit Program $234,220
93.658 Foster Care Title IV-E $233,664
93.994 Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant to the States $180,857
93.044 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part B, Grants for Supportive Services and Senior Centers $176,205
93.596 Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund $151,511
93.045 Special Programs for the Aging, Title Iii, Part C, Nutrition Services $120,139
93.967 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Collaboration with Academia to Strengthen Public Health $117,875
97.036 Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (presidentially Declared Disasters) $77,303
20.526 Buses and Bus Facilities Formula, Competitive, and Low Or No Emissions Programs $72,986
15.957 Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund $60,051
93.568 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance $57,806
93.217 Family Planning Services $49,314
93.069 Public Health Emergency Preparedness $34,610
93.991 Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant $30,431
93.324 State Health Insurance Assistance Program $22,516
93.268 Immunization Cooperative Agreements $20,535
93.053 Nutrition Services Incentive Program $14,476
93.645 Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program $12,495
93.659 Adoption Assistance $11,399
93.674 John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood $8,203
93.556 Marylee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program $5,547
93.566 Refugee and Entrant Assistance State/replacement Designee Administered Programs $5,108
93.323 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Infectious Diseases (elc) $4,637
93.898 Cancer Prevention and Control Programs for State, Territorial and Tribal Organizations $2,930
93.110 Maternal and Child Health Federal Consolidated Programs $2,000
93.917 Hiv Care Formula Grants $1,548
93.436 Well-Integrated Screening and Evaluation for Women Across the Nation (wisewoman) $270
45.310 Grants to States $200
93.977 Sexually Transmitted Diseases (std) Prevention and Control Grants $100
93.116 Project Grants and Cooperative Agreements for Tuberculosis Control Programs $50