Audit report, for the six months ended June 30, 1997, Emory Nursing Center, Medicaid provider no. 00140951A, Nursing Facilities Services Program [June 30, 1997]

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DEPARTMENT OF AUDITS AND ACCOUNTS

Medicaid and ~Local.GovernmentAudits

AUDIT REPORT
FOR THE. SIX MONTHS ENI1ED.J11NE.30,.1997
ElVIORYNURSINGCENTER,INC.
(MEDICAIDPR()VIDE~NUl\fBER00140951A NURSING FACILITY SERVICES PROGRAM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

i

INTRODUCTION

;. . . 1 0

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5

Summary of Audit Findings Affecting Allowable Costs and Patient Day Statistics 10

Schedule of Allowable Costs and Patient Day Statistics 12

Report Prepared By:
State ofGeorgia Department ofAudits and Accounts Medicaid and Local Government Audits Division
w., 254 Washington Street, S. Suite 322
Atlanta, Georgia 30334-8400 (404) 656-2006
Michael A. Plant, Director

CLAUDE L. VICKERS
STATE AUDITOR

DEPARTMENT OF AUDITS AND ACCOUNTS
254 Washington Street, S.W., Suite 214 Atlanta, Georgia 30334-8400
Telephone (404) 656-2006 Facsimile (404) 656-7535

June 30, 1998

Members of the Board ofMedical Assistance, and The Honorable Dr. William R. Taylor, Commissioner Department of Medical Assistance 2 Peachtree Street, N.W., 40th Floor Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This report provides the results of our audit of Emory Nursing Center, Inc., provider number 00140951A, a participant in the Nursing Facility Services Program for the six months ended June 30, 1997. This report is intended to be used solely in connection with the administration ofthe Georgia Department of Medical Assistance Nursing Facility Services Program and is not to be used or relied upon for any other purpose.
Respectfully Submitted,

CLV/dc/bw

Claude L. Vickers State Auditor

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

1

INTRODUCTION

General Information

The Georgia Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) is administered by the Georgia Department of Medical Assistance and is jointly funded by the State ofGeorgia and the federal government. Medicaid pays health care providers for furnishing health care services to individuals or families with low income and limited resources. The Department of Medical Assistance has established specific payment guidelines and limitations for each covered medical service.
Through the Nursing Facility Services Program, Medicaid pays for care in institutional settings for recipients who are unable to remain at home or in the community. Nursing homes are paid for this service using rates calculated from Nursing Home Cost Reports submitted by each provider. These cost reports include financial, patient census, and other information. Information included in the Nursing Home Cost Report is subject to audit by the Department of Medical Assistance or its agents. In an agreement with the Department of Medical Assistance, the Department of Audits and Accounts has accepted the responsibility of auditing Medicaid providers.

Provider Information

Emory Nursing Center, Inc., a 40-bed long-term health care facility located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a provider enrolled in the Georgia Medicaid Nursing Facility Services Program. The facility provides both skilled and intermediate care services to resident patients. The

2 Audit Objectives

Nursing Facility Services Program
facility was operated as a component of NewCare Health Corporation, a chain organization which filed a Home Office Cost Report with DMA for the six months ended June 30, 1997.

The purpose of this audit was to determine whether Emory Nursing Center, Inc., maintained adequate documentation to support the allowable costs and patient day statistics reported in its Nursing Home Cost Report for the six months ended June 30, 1997; and to determine whether Emory Nursing Center, Inc. complied with the federal and state laws, regulations, policies and procedures for the Nursing Facility Services Program in effect for that period. The specific objectives of this audit were to:



determine if allowable costs reported in the Nursing

Home Cost Report are reasonable and allowable, in all

material respects, in accordance with federal and state

laws, regulations, policies and procedures governing

the Georgia Nursing Facility Services Program;



compare patient day statistics included in the cost

report to provider records to determine if the patient

day statistics are accurately reported; and



recommend appropriate action based on the results of

our audit.

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

3

Scope and Methodology

To accomplish these objectives, we perfonned a limited review of the provider's internal control structure to the extent necessary to plan our audit. We interviewed provider personnel and examined records and documentation to detennine the adequacy of amounts and disclosures included in the Nursing Home Cost Report. We also reviewed, on a test basis, evidence supporting these amounts and disclosures and assessed the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management. We evaluated the tested transactions and accounts for compliance with cost reporting principles included in the Health Care Financing Administration Provider Reimbursement Manual (HCFA Pub. 15-1) and DMA Policies and Procedures for Nursing Facility Services.
In accordance with Section 1002 of Policies and Procedures for Nursing Facility Services, the Department ofMedical Assistance has calculated the payment rate for Emory Nursing Center, Inc., using a method often called the "Dodge Index system". Under the Dodge Index system, reasonable construction and asset acquisition costs are used in calculating the payment rate rather than the actual costs incurred by the nursing home for property costs such as depreciation and amortization; capital-related interest expense; and lease expense. Because these property costs are not considered by the Department of Medical Assistance when calculating the payment rate for Emory Nursing Center, Inc., our audit did not include a review of these costs. However, because property taxes and insurance are used by the Department of Medical Assistance to calculate the provider's payment rate, we have reviewed those costs as part of our audit.

4

Nursing Facility Services Program

As a result of audit procedures related to other (non-property) costs, we noted an adjustment which should be made by the Department of Medical Assistance related to lease expense. We have included a finding related to this matter in our report.
The Department ofAudits and Accounts is responsible for providing the Department ofMedical Assistance with information regarding the accuracy of cost and patient data for Emory Nursing Center, Inc., for the six months ended June 30, 1997. If the Department of Medical Assistance implements the recommendations in this report by adjusting the allowable costs and/or patient day statistics used in calculating the provider's billing rate, the provider may appeal to the Department of Medical Assistance for reconsideration of the audit findings. For this reason, we have not included a response from the provider in our report. However, we have discussed the contents of this report with the provider and have considered its responses when preparing the report. In all other respects, this audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

5

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Finding No.1

Lack ofSufficient Documentation

Some of the expenses included in allowable costs were not supported by adequate documentary evidence. Federal regulations provide that cost information as developed by the provider must be current, accurate, and in sufficient detail to support payments made for services rendered to beneficiaries. We recommend that the provider implement policies and procedures to ensure that all expenses shown on the cost report are supported by sufficient documentation. We recommend that the Department of Medical Assistance make the following adjustment to remove the undocumented expenses from allowable costs.
(HCFA Pub. 15-1 Section 2304)

COST CENTER Routine Services Special Services Dietary Operation and Maintenance ofPlant Administrative and General Property and Related Expenses

$

(8,495)

(372)

(1,195)

(252)

(9,699)

(864)

Total Adjustment to Allowable Costs

$=:::::::::=(2=0=,87=:7=)

Finding No.2

Incorrect Expense Classifications
Documentation examined during the audit showed that some of the expenses were not classified in accordance with the Uniform Chart of Accounts prescribed by the Department of Medical Assistance for providers participating in the Medicaid Nursing Facilities Services Program. We recommend that the provider implement policies and procedures to ensure that all of its expenses are classified in the

6

Nursing Facility Services Program

appropriate cost centers. We recommend that the Department ofMedical Assistance make the following adjustment to reclassify costs to the appropriate cost centers.
(DMA Policies and Procedures, Appendix D)

COST CENTER Routine Services Supplies Dietary Lease Expense Administrative and General Supplies Property and Related Expenses Lease Expense

$

(383)

(690)

383

690

Total Adjustment to Allowable Costs

$====0=

Finding No.3

Costs Not Related to Patient Care

Allowable costs claimed included prescription drugs which were not considered to be for patient care operations. Federal regulations provide that costs which are not appropriate or necessary and proper in developing and maintaining the operation of patient care facilities and activities are not allowable in computing allowable costs. We recommend that the provider implement policies and procedures to ensure that expenses claimed in the cost report do not include items not related to patient care. We recommend that the Department of Medical Assistance make the following adjustment to remove the non-patient care expenses from allowable costs.
(DMA Policies and Procedures Section 902)

COST CENTER Routine Services

$======(:=58=)

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

7

Finding No.4

Related Party Costs

Documentation examined during the audit showed that the provider paid for oxygen supplies obtained from related parties. Federal regulations provide that costs applicable to services, facilities, and supplies furnished by related organizations are includable in the allowable costs of the provider at the cost to the related organization. We recommend that the provider implement policies and procedures to ensure that only the costs incurred by the related organization to furnish services, facilities, and supplies are included in allowable costs. We recommend that the Department of Medical Assistance make the following adjustment to reduce allowable costs to the related party's cost.
(HCFA Pub. 15-1 Section 1000)

COST CENTER Special Services

$===(=13:=3:.=)

Finding No.5

Allocationsfrom Home Office
The provider was a component of a chain organization for the year ended June 30, 1997. As a result of our audit of the home office cost report filed in connection with the Medicaid Nursing Home Facilities Program, we recommended that the Department ofMedical Assistance make adjustments to the allowable costs claimed by the home office. We recommend that the provider and its home office implement policies and procedures to ensure that only allowable costs are allocated from the home office to the provider. We recommend that the Department of Medical Assistance make the following adjustment to correct allowable costs to reflect the allocation of the adjustments made to the home office cost report.
(HCFA Pub. 15-1 Section 2150)

8

Nursing Facility Services Program

COST CENTER Administrative and General Pooled Costs Administrative Expenses Allocation Statistics
Total Adjustment to Allowable Costs

$

(22,622)

511

$====(2:=2=,1=11=)

Finding No.6

Accounts Receivable Credit Balances
Documentation examined during the audit showed that the provider had numerous credit balances in its individual accounts receivable. Credit balances in the facility's accounts receivable result from overpayments for services provided to its patients. The $3,317.64 shown in the following table represents overpayments from the Department of Medical Assistance that had not been resolved as of April 20, 1997. We recommend that the provider review its credit accounts receivable and refund overpayments to the appropriate party. We further recommend that the provider implement policies and procedures to ensure that overpayments on patients' accounts are promptly refunded to the payor. We also recommend that the Department of Medical Assistance review this matter and recover any overpayments identified.

Patient Name
Barlow, Mary Lizzie Blunt, Janet Pearl, Annie Perkins, Zerlie
Total

Balance

$

1,449.63

103.65

373.20

1,391.16

$ 3,317.64

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

9

Patient Day Statistics

Finding No.7

The provider stated on the cost report that it furnished 7,157 patient days of service. Census records examined during the audit showed that the patient days shown on the cost report were accurate.

10

Nursing Facility Services Program

SUMMARY OF AUDIT FINDINGS AFFECTING ALLOWABLE COSTS AND PATIENT DAY STATISTICS

FINDING NUMBER

ALLOWABLE COSTS

Routine Services

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

2

Incorrect Expense Classifications

3

Costs Not Related To Patient Care

Special Services

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

4

Related Party Costs

Dietary

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

2

Incorrect Expense Classifications

Operation and Maintenance oiPlant

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

Administrative and General

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

2

Incorrect Expense Classifications

5

Allocations From Home Office

$

(8,495)

(383)

(58) $

$

(372)

(133)

$

(1,195)

(690)

$

(9,699)

383

(22,111)

(8,936) (505)
(1,885) (252)
(31,427)

1997 Audit Report: Emory Nursing Center, Inc.

11

FINDING NUMBER

ALLOWABLE COSTS

Property and Related Expenses

1

Lack of Sufficient Documentation

2

Incorrect Expense Classifications

$

(864)

690

(174)

Total Audit Findings Affecting Allowable Costs

$====(4=3=,1=79=)

12

Nursing Facility Services Program

SCHEDULE OF ALLOWABLE COSTS AND PATIENT DAY STATISTICS

ALLOWABLE COSTS

COST REPORT TOTALS

FIELD AUDIT FINDINGS

AUDITED TOTALS

Routine Services

$ 223,360 $ (8,936) $ 214,424

Special Services

13,850

(505)

13,345

Dietary

66,095

(1,885)

64,210

Laundry and Housekeeping

46,832

46,832

Operation and Maintenance ofPlant

29,443

(252)

29,191

Administrative and General

83,481

(31,427)

52,054

Property and Related Expenses

68,190

(174)

68,016

Total Allowable Costs

$ 531,251 $ (43,179) $ 488,072

PATIENT DAY STATISTICS

7,157

7,157