La. Admin. Code tit. 50 § VII-32909

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section VII-32909 - Audits

A. Each ICF/IID shall file an annual facility cost report and a central office cost report.

B. ICF/IID shall be subject to financial and compliance audits.

C. All providers who elect to participate in the Medicaid Program shall be subject to audit by state or federal regulators or their designees. Audit selection for the department shall be at the discretion of LDH.

1. A representative sample of the ICF/IID shall be fully audited to ensure the fiscal integrity of the program and compliance of providers with program regulations governing reimbursement.

2. Limited scope and exception audits shall also be conducted as determined by LDH.

3. LDH conducts desk reviews of all the cost reports received. LDH also conducts on-site audits of provider records and cost reports.

a. LDH seeks to maximize the number of on-site audited cost reports available for use in its cost projections although the number of on-site audits performed each year may vary.

b. Whenever possible, the records necessary to verify information submitted to LDH on Medicaid cost reports, including related-party transactions and other business activities engaged in by the provider, must be accessible to LDH audit staff in the state of Louisiana.

D. Cost of Out-of-State Audits

1. When records are not available to LDH audit staff within Louisiana, the provider must pay the actual costs for LDH staff to travel and review the records out-of-state.

2. If a provider fails to reimburse LDH for these costs within 60 days of the request for payment, LDH may place a hold on the vendor payments until the costs are paid in full.

E. In addition to the exclusions and adjustments made during desk reviews and on-site audits, LDH may exclude or adjust certain expenses in the cost-report data base in order to base rates on the reasonable and necessary costs that an economical and efficient provider must incur.

F. The facility shall retain such records or files as required by LDH and shall have them available for inspection for five years from the date of service or until all audit exceptions are resolved, whichever period is longer.

G. If LDH's auditors determine that a facility's records are unauditable, the vendor payments may be withheld until the facility submits an acceptable plan of correction to reconstruct the records. Any additional costs incurred to complete the audit shall be paid by the provider.

H. Vendor payments may also be withheld under the following conditions:

1. a facility fails to submit corrective action plans in response to financial and compliance audit findings within 15 days after receiving the notification letter; or

2. a facility fails to respond satisfactorily to LDH's request for information within 15 days after receiving the department's letter.

I. If LDH's audit of the residents= personal funds account indicate a material number of transactions were not sufficiently supported or material noncompliance, then LDH shall initiate a full scope audit of the account. The cost of the full scope audit shall be withheld from the vendor payments.

J.The ICF/IID shall cooperate with the audit process by:

1. promptly providing all documents needed for review;

2. providing adequate space for uninterrupted review of records;

3. making persons responsible for facility records and cost report preparation available during the audit;

4. arranging for all pertinent personnel to attend the exit conference;

5. insuring that complete information is maintained in client's records; and

6. correcting areas of noncompliance with state and federal regulations immediately after the exit conference time limit of 15 days.

La. Admin. Code tit. 50, § VII-32909

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of the Secretary, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 31:1594 (July 2005), repromulgated LR 31:2254 (September 2005), Amended by the Department of Health, Bureau of Health Services Financing, LR 49688 (4/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 36:254 and Title XIX of the Social Security Act.