Louisiana Legislative Auditor
Daryl G. Purpera, CPA, CFE

December 4, 2017

Audit Finds $717,820 in Medicaid Payments Made for Deceased Recipients

An examination of the Louisiana Department of Health’s processes for identifying deceased Medicaid recipients found that the Department made $717,820 in improper payments for 712 deceased recipients between July 2013 and August 2017, the Legislative Auditor said in a report released today.

While the numbers are an improvement over an October 2013 LLA report that found the Department had paid approximately $1.85 million in per member per month fees for 1,727 deceased individuals between February 2012 and June 2013, auditors concluded that LDH needs to further improve its identification processes.

Specifically, auditors found that the Department improperly paid $637,745 in per member per month fees for 203 deceased Medicaid recipients between July 2013 and August 2017. The Department also made $80,075 in fee-for-service payments directly to providers who submitted claims for services provided to 517 deceased Medicaid recipients.

In addition, auditors found that the managed care organizations responsible for the administration of the Medicaid program paid $42,602 for services involving 181 recipients that occurred after the recipients had died, the state auditor said. Of that amount, $22,879 (53 percent) went to pharmacy providers.

For more information contact:

Legislative Auditor
225.339.3800



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Office of the Louisiana Legislative Auditor | www.LLA.La.gov