N.J. Admin. Code § 8:31B-4.9

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 8:31B-4.9 - Consistency

(a) Consistency refers to continued uniformity during a period and from one period to another in methods of accounting, mainly in valuation bases and methods of accrual, as reflected in the financial statements of an accounting entity. Consistency is very important to the development and analysis of trends on a year-to-year basis and as a means of forecasting. However, consistency does not require continued adherence to a suboptimal method or procedure. Any change of accounting procedure, consistent with the materiality principal, must be brought to the attention of the Department by way of a cover letter, which will accompany the hospital's Financial Elements Report to include both a description and analysis of reporting impact of such accounting procedure changes.

(b) As an example, the accounting principal of accrual reporting (see 8:31B-4.13 ) may cause some hospitals who currently account for vacation on a cash basis to incur a one time reporting of expenses related to vacation time earned by employees but not yet taken. Such one time costs must be included in a cover letter and the Financial Elements Report shall identify only those vacations costs accrued in the current reporting period.

(c) Any accounting and reporting changes due to subsequent revisions of this manual or the documents referred to herein will be reported in accordance with the instructions which accompany those revisions.

N.J. Admin. Code § 8:31B-4.9

Amended by 50 N.J.R. 1494(a), effective 7/2/2018