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TechnographAudit raps health care agency for slow, poor bookkeeping
By Ryan Keith, The Associated Press
Posted: 6/18/08 Section: News
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State auditors are again battling with Illinois' health care agency over money management, weeks after a scathing rebuke of how the agency oversees payments to Medicaid providers.
Auditor General William Holland's audit released Wednesday found 15 problems with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. That's up from 10 problems he found in the last agency audit.
Holland points this time to slow and incomplete money statements that cause complications as the state puts together an analysis of its overall financial books.
"The picture that is painted here is not a pretty picture," Holland said.
The agency shot back that Holland's criticisms were largely out of its hands.
"I am surprised and disappointed that your report mischaracterizes our intent to be thorough in providing information," DHFS Director Barry Maram wrote in a letter sent Wednesday to Holland.
Holland harshly criticized DHFS for long delays in reporting its financial numbers to his auditors and for problems contained in the reports when they finally received them.
DHFS didn't provide complete financial statements to Holland's office until March 2008, even though the budget year ended last June. Once submitted, the statements included an overstatement of general tax revenue by nearly $600 million, Holland said.
"The Department's actions resulted in significant delays in the financial reporting process, were dilatory and were a disservice to the users of the state's financial reports," Holland states in the audit.
The two sides butted heads about a month ago, when a special audit requested by lawmakers found serious flaws in how DHFS gets Medicaid payments to providers. The agency said lack of funding by lawmakers caused many of those problems.
Holland's new report scolds DHFS for not making $1.2 billion in hospital improvement access payments until last September, although they should have been paid in four payments from March through May.
Auditor General William Holland's audit released Wednesday found 15 problems with the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. That's up from 10 problems he found in the last agency audit.
Holland points this time to slow and incomplete money statements that cause complications as the state puts together an analysis of its overall financial books.
"The picture that is painted here is not a pretty picture," Holland said.
The agency shot back that Holland's criticisms were largely out of its hands.
"I am surprised and disappointed that your report mischaracterizes our intent to be thorough in providing information," DHFS Director Barry Maram wrote in a letter sent Wednesday to Holland.
Holland harshly criticized DHFS for long delays in reporting its financial numbers to his auditors and for problems contained in the reports when they finally received them.
DHFS didn't provide complete financial statements to Holland's office until March 2008, even though the budget year ended last June. Once submitted, the statements included an overstatement of general tax revenue by nearly $600 million, Holland said.
"The Department's actions resulted in significant delays in the financial reporting process, were dilatory and were a disservice to the users of the state's financial reports," Holland states in the audit.
The two sides butted heads about a month ago, when a special audit requested by lawmakers found serious flaws in how DHFS gets Medicaid payments to providers. The agency said lack of funding by lawmakers caused many of those problems.
Holland's new report scolds DHFS for not making $1.2 billion in hospital improvement access payments until last September, although they should have been paid in four payments from March through May.
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