Friday, May 7, 2010

DSS...ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT


Ulster County DSS makes some improvements in its financial accountability, says Auerbach

KINGSTON – The Ulster County Department of Social Services has made some improvements in its accounting practice since County Comptroller Elliott Auerbach first looked into them earlier.

Missing funds reported to the County Sheriff’s Office before the comptroller’s office kicked in under the new charter, resulted in a comptroller’s audit of the Social Services Medicaid spend-down program in August 2009. Concerns regarding cash management and internal controls were found.

The follow up audit shows some improvement, Auerbach said.

“They have made some inroads, however, there still are some blind spots that we are not totally comfortable with and it truly has to do with internal controls,” he said.

Noting that county comptrollers are prohibited in New York State from auditing Medicaid providers, Auerbach said until that is lifted, he will use his resources “to audit what I can where I can.”

(Copyright © 2010 Mid-Hudson News Network, a division of Statewide News Network, Inc.)

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