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Title: Section 86-1.4 - Audits

Effective Date

02/13/2013

86-1.4 Audits.

(a) All fiscal and statistical records and reports shall be subject to audit. All underlying books, records and documentation which formed the basis for the fiscal and statistical reports, filed by the medical facility with the department, shall he kept and maintained by the facility for a period of time not less than six years from the date of filing or the date upon which the fiscal and statistical records were to be filed, whichever is the later date. In this respect, any rate of payment certified or established by the State Commissioner of Health prior to audit shall be construed to represent a provisional rate until such audit is performed and completed, at which time such rate or adjusted rate will be construed to represent the audited rate.

(b) Subsequent to the filing of fiscal and statistical reports, field audits may be conducted of the records of medical facilities in a time, manner and place to be determined by the State Department of Health. Alternatively or in addition the Department may, in its sole discretion, conduct desk audits of such fiscal and statistical reports.

(c) The required fiscal and statistical reports shall be subject to audit for a period of six years from the date of their filing with the department or from the date when due, whichever is later. This limitation shall not apply to situations in which fraud may be involved, or where the provider or an agent thereof prevents or obstructs the commissioner from performing an audit pursuant to this section.

(d) Upon completion of the audit, the medical facility shall be afforded a closing conference. The medical facility may appear in person or by any one authorized in writing to act on behalf of the medical facility. The medical facility shall be afforded an opportunity at such conference to produce additional documentation in support of any modifications requested in the audit.

(e) The medical facility shall be provided with the audit report and the rate computation sheet per audit. The audit report shall be final unless within 30 days of receipt of the audit report, the medical facility initiates a bureau review of such final audit report by notifying the Division of Health Care financing by registered or certified mail, detailing the specific items of the audit report with which the provider disagrees, and such other material as the provider wishes to submit in its behalf, and forwarding all material documentation in support of the medical facility's position.

(f) The medical facility shall be notified in writing of the determination of the controverted items of the final audit report, including a statement of the reasons for such adjustments and the appropriate citation to applicable law, regulation or policy. The audit findings as adjusted in accordance with the determination of the bureau review shall be final, except that the medical facility may, within 30 days of receipt of the determination of the bureau review, initiate a hearing to refute those items of the audit report adverse to the interests of the medical facility presenting a factual issue by serving on the commissioner, by certified or registered mail, a notice containing a statement of the legal authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing should be held, a reference to the particular sections of the statutes and rules involved and a statement of the controverted items of the audit report and bureau determination, together with copies of any documentation relied on by the medical facility in support of its position.

(1) Upon receipt of such notice the commissioner shall:

(i) designate a hearing officer to hear and recommend;

(ii) establish a time and place for such hearing;

(iii) notify the medical facility of the time and place of such hearing at least 15 days prior thereto; and

(iv) include in a notice of hearing those issues of the audit report which are controverted in the notice served on the commissioner by the medical facility.

(2) The issues and documentation presented by the medical facility at such hearing shall be limited to the factual issues and documentation presented at the bureau review.

(3) The audit report shall be presumptive evidence of its content. The burden of proof at any such hearing shall be upon the medical facility to prove by substantial evidence that the items therein contained are incorrect.

(4) The hearing shall be conducted in conformity with section 12-a of the Public Health Law and the State Administrative Procedure Act. (5) At the conclusion of the hearing the medical facility may submit memoranda on any legal issues which it deems relevant to the proceeding. Such memoranda shall become part of the official record of the hearing.

(g) Rate revisions resulting from the procedure set forth in this section shall be made retroactive to the period or periods during which the rates based on the periods audited were established. Any resulting overpayment or underpayment shall be satisfied by either retroactive adjustment of the provisional rate paid, based on the period audited, or prospective adjustment of the current certified rate at the discretion of the State Commissioner of Health.

(h) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the commissioner may promulgate rate revisions based on audits completed by another State agency. Unless otherwise indicated, such audits shall not be considered final and shall not preclude conduct of a complete audit by the State Department of Health or its agent. (i) (1) Effective for institutional cost reports filed for report periods ending on and after December 31, 2010, the Department shall establish a fee schedule for the purpose of funding audit activities authorized pursuant to this section. Such fee schedule shall be published on the New York State Department of Health website at: http://www.health.state.ny.us. The amount of such fees shall be proportional to the amount of the total costs reported by each facility, provided, however, that minimum and maximum fee levels may be established. (2) Additional fee obligations shall be established for facilities filing more than two institutional costs reports for a reporting period. The Department may, upon written application submitted prior to the submission of such additional institutional cost reports, waive or reduce such additional fees based on a showing of financial hardship or a showing that the additional submission is necessitated by Department error or other factors beyond the facility’s control. Such a waiver must be in writing. (3) Fees shall be submitted at the time of the submission of the institutional costs reports. A failure to pay such fees may be deemed by the Department as constituting the non-filing of the institutional cost report and subject the facility to the rate reduction authorized pursuant to section 86-1.2(c) of this Subpart. Failure to pay the additional fee associated with the filing of additional institutional cost reports as described in paragraph (2) of this subdivision shall result in the non-utilization of such revised cost reports by the Department. Delinquent fees may be collected by the Department in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (h) of subdivision 18 of section 2807-c of the Public Health law.

Volume

VOLUME A-2 (Title 10)

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