ND health agency paid $1.4 million for care checks that never happened, audit found
A North Dakota State Auditor's Office audit of the Department of Health and Human Services for the biennium ended June 30, 2025, released Oct. 29, 2026, found seven problem areas. DHHS paid behavioral health providers in the Free Through Recovery and Community Connect programs $1,406,186 when required face-to-face engagement or contact attempts did not occur. Childcare workforce benefits went to ineligible employees, an estimated $217,397. An estimated 41% of in-home service providers lacked completed background checks. About $4.7 million was paid for visit-verification software whose data was wrong in 67% of sampled claims and was not used. An estimated 5,872 eligible children did not receive Summer EBT food benefits while 1,610 ineligible children did. DHHS partially agreed with the $1.4 million finding but disputed the dollar amount and declined to commit to recovering it.
The audit found $1.4 million in payments made without required provider engagement, as well as GAP payments that lacked proof of need, correct tracking or timely receipts.
According to the audit, providers received payments even when required face-to-face engagement or attempts to contact participants did not occur.
More than $1.4 million in payments were issued when minimum engagement standards were not met. The agency did not have procedures in place to detect or prevent these payments.
inconsistencies in the automatic enrollment process led to an estimated 5,872 eligible children not receiving the benefit, while an estimated 1,610 ineligible children received it.
Partially agreed; said the $1,406,186 is an audit projection not validated payment by payment and may be overstated.
No outcome recorded yet.