Audit: Gaps In Louisiana Health Department Money Management

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A new audit raises questions about money management in the Louisiana Department of Health, just as lawmakers are considering ways to cut back spending to close a state deficit.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor's report found the department didn't have a process to recover $29 million in Medicaid claims and filed more than $250 million in erroneous reports with the federal government.

Also, auditors say the agency didn't properly track the spending of $73 million in federal funds on a nutrition program for pregnant women and infants.

The Advocate reports Health Department officials say they are working to rectify the issues raised. A plan for corrective action is to be completed by the end of June.

But the findings come as lawmakers already were eyeing the department's budget for cuts.

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