Initial Audits Involve 35 million dollars of Medicaid Claims

BINGHAMTON, NY - The Broome County Department of Social Services will be conducting audits of nineteen local Medicaid providers. Broome County was one of thirteen counties, including New York City, selected by the Medicaid Inspector General's Office to act as an auditing agent. Entrance conferences to initiate the audit process will begin with four local Medicaid providers within the next two weeks.

“We must have checks and balances upon our programs and the people's tax dollars,” stated Executive Fiala. “Auditing Medicaid providers who are receiving payments from the county confirms the integrity of our Medicaid tax dollars. Medicaid expenses make up 11% of the proposed $360 million dollar budget for 2009.”

The first round of audits will involve nineteen providers. Howard Schultz, Deputy County Attorney, is overseeing the audits. The first round of audits will be reviewing providers who submitted over $35 million in Medicaid claims over a two year period. The audit process is scheduled to occur and be completed over a twenty-four month cycle.

Commissioner of Social Services Arthur Johnson was optimistic about local Medicaid practices. “It is our hope that fraud is not occurring,” he said. “However, if improprieties exist we will be able to recoup people's tax dollars and distinguish quality providers.”

Broome received permission to conduct local provider audits from the New York State Health Department and the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General. If the county identifies negligence the county will then recover their share of Medicaid payments made to the provider.