Audit: Mental Health Administration failed to check
patients’ eligibility and patient information is not secure
Published on September 29th, 2014 | by Charlie Hayward
CharlieHayward@MarylandReporter.com
The Mental Health Administration delivers comprehensive
care, treatment, and rehabilitation of individuals with mental illnesses,
either through a network of hospital facilities operated by MHA or through
community service agencies. MHA spent $788 million during fiscal year 2013.
MHA receives funding from multiple federal and state sources
and each funding source can have different eligibility rules. Because of this,
MHA must keep detailed records about patients so the funding source is
correctly matched to each patient service.
Eligibility documentation missing; important statistics not
kept
MHA utilizes an Administrative Services Organization (ASO)
to review its mental health services. During fiscal 2013, the ASO paid
approximately $16.4 million of State funds for “uninsured” patient care,
without keeping documentation showing patients were eligible for the mental
health services they received.
The documentation is important because it is the basis for
determining who ultimately pays for care: the state, federal government or the
individual. This finding was repeated from the previous audit.
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