Auditors from state comptroller Tom DiNapolis’ office examined Medicaid payments made between April 1, 2015 and Sept. 30, 2015.
During that period, auditors found New York’s department of health enrolled 119 deceased patients into its Medicaid program and failed to terminate accounts for 1,177 beneficiaries who died after enrollment. The department paid nearly 4,900 claims totaling $2.3 million on behalf of 966 deceased recipients, according to Times Union.
Auditors also discovered $7.1 million was paid to long-term care providers for patients who had been removed from the Medicaid program.
About $2.1 million was recovered to the state during the auditors’ fieldwork, according to News Observer. In an official response to the audit, health department officials said they are working to recover other overpayments.
More articles on finance issues:
This week’s 5 must-reads for hospital CFOs
Consumerism and RCM: 3 challenges posed by high deductibles & how to meet them
Why clinical documentation is the missing link to value-based reimbursement
