Finding 522330 (2024-002)

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: 2024-002 Untimely Review of SSI Terminations SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY Eligibility Criteria: In accordance with the Medicaid Manual MA-3120, the State sends notification to the County when a participant is no longer eligible under a SSI determination. The County has a certain time period to initiate an ex-parte review to determine whether the recipient qualifies for Medicaid under any other coverage group, such as Family and Children's Medicaid, North Carolina Health Choice for Children, Work First Family Assistance, or Medicaid for the Aged, Blind and Disabled. This is a repeat finding from the immediate previous audit, 2023-001. Section III. Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued) We examined 60 cases from of a total of 1,127,837 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. 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. The County agrees with the finding. Please refer to the corrective action plan for details.Condition: Questioned Costs: Context: Effect: Cause: Recommendation: Views of responsible officials and planned corrective actions: Program Name: Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid; Title XIX) AL #: 93.778 The County did not initiate ex-parte review timely, therefore, no eligibility review was completed in the required time period. The lack of follow up and certification lead to applicants receiving Medicaid benefits for which they were not eligible. The County agrees with the finding. Please refer to the corrective action plan for details. Any State communications related to applicants/beneficiaries should be shared with all areas from which the participant receives benefits. State files should be reviewed internally to ensure all actions have been properly closed and the corrective action has been taken. Workers should be retrained on what process needs to be followed when State communications are received. SIGNIFICANT DEFICENCY: Finding 2024-001 and 2024-002 also apply to State requirements and State Awards. Section IV. State Award Findings and Questioned Costs Ineffective communication between departments within the Department of Social Services. One area within DSS received State communications that applicants would no longer be eligible for SSI benefits and the County needed to conduct an ex-parte review. This information was not shared with other departments in DSS from which the recipient was also receiving benefits. There was no known affect to eligibility and there were no known questioned costs. We examined 60 cases from of a total of 1,127,837 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. There were 2 applicants/beneficiaries not reviewed timely and determined to be eligible for Medicaid when their SSI benefits were terminated. Section III. Federal Award Findings and Questioned Costs (continued)