Finding 613641 (2022-001)

Significant Deficiency
Requirement
N
Questioned Costs
-
Year
2022
Accepted
2023-06-29

AI Summary

  • Core Issue: Internal controls were inadequate, leading to potential underfunding of the debt service reserve and investments not backed by U.S. credit.
  • Impacted Requirements: USDA guidelines mandate biannual investment valuations and require funds to be in insured institutions or backed by U.S. credit.
  • Recommended Follow-Up: Management should establish robust processes to ensure compliance with investment backing and maintain adequate debt reserve levels.

Finding Text

Federal Agency: United States Department of Agriculture Federal Program Title: Community Facilities Loans and Grants Federal Assistance Listing Number: 10.766 Type of Finding: Significant Deficiency in Internal Control over Compliance Period: October 1, 2021 ? September 30, 2022 Condition: The management did not have proper internal controls in place to ensure all investments are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Additionally, management did not have internal controls in place to ensure investment valuation is monitored to ascertain debt service reserve fund is at least 90% of the debt service reserve requirement. Criteria or specific requirement: The USDA Debt agreement requires that investment valuation be made by management twice a year to ensure debt service reserve fund is at least 90% of the debt service reserve requirement. Additionally, compliance requirement requires funds to be deposited in institutions insured by the state or federal government or invested in readily marketable securities backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Effect: A lack of internal controls over these requirements cause the reserve balance to be potentially underfunded as well as the funds to be invested in securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Questioned costs: None Cause: The Cumberland County Hospital System did not have internal controls in place to ensure all investments are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Additionally, management did not have proper internal controls in place to ensure investment valuation is monitored to ascertain adequate debt reserve balance is maintained. Recommendation: We recommend management ensure that they have a process in place to ensure all investments are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Additionally, management should have proper internal controls in place to ensure investment valuation is monitored to ascertain adequate debt reserve balance is maintained in accordance with related USDA debt agreement. Views of responsible officials: The management will have all mutual funds sold and will deposit $290,000 into the debt reserve account to fully fund the balance to equal one payment.

Categories

Significant Deficiency Matching / Level of Effort / Earmarking Internal Control / Segregation of Duties

Other Findings in this Audit

  • 37199 2022-001
    Significant Deficiency

Programs in Audit

ALN Program Name Expenditures
10.766 Community Facilities Loans and Grants $139.49M
93.498 Provider Relief Fund $42.36M
93.461 Covid-19 Testing for the Uninsured $1.84M
93.697 Covid-19 Testing for Rural Health Clinics $700,000