All agencies that do not have existing contracts with collection agents are required to refer their delinquent accounts through the Statewide Collection Agent Contract. To do this, contact Chris Schwass in the State Controller's Office at 266-6820. Your accounts will be assigned to a collection agent by DOA. Once your accounts are assigned, the collection agent will contact you directly to arrange for the actual transfer of delinquent account information. Agencies are expected to aggressively refer their delinquent accounts when it is in the best interest of the state to do so.
If you have any questions about your accounts receivable reports or delinquent account referrals, please contact Jeff Anderson at 266-8347.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
January 23, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
A836
We have completed our review of the Preadmission Screening and Annual Resident Review (PASARR) process, which is administered by the Department of Health and Social Services. The process, which is federally required for all states participating in the Medical Assistance (MA) program, is used to screen nursing home applicants and residents for serious mental illness and developmental disabilities. PASARR screening requirements apply to both MA and privately paying individuals. The Department expended a total of $5.1 million on the program in 1994, $3.9 million of which was paid to five contractors.
Although some of the federal requirements, such as requiring every nursing home resident to be screened annually for developmental disability, appear to be unnecessary, it appears the Department has little latitude in implementing the program. It is evident, however, that the Department should have exercised more control over the establishment of reimbursement rates for the provision of second-level screening. Because control was limited, three of the five contractors were apparently overcompensated by more that $1.5 million in 1994. Of this amount, more than $1.2 million was paid to one contractor. According to an audit filed with the Department by the contractor, its sole officer was compensated more than $1 million in 1994, with additional payments made for payroll taxes and retirement benefits.
The Department is currently seeking to recoup the overpayments. However, two of the three contractors, including the contractor from which the Department is seeking to recoup more than $1.2 million, have challenged the Department's authority to recoup any of the funds. According to department staff, the third contractor, from which the Department is seeking $200, 514, is working cooperatively to reach a settlement. It is expected that the Department will undertake a similar recoupment effort for the 1995 contract year because identical contracts were in place.
Finally, although the Department has developed a data base designed to provide information about the outcomes of the PASARR program, the information generated is inconsistent. Therefore, it is not possible to provide definitive information about the outcomes of the screening process, such as how many individuals were removed or diverted from nursing homes as a result of it.
We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff of the Department of Health and Social Services during the course of this review.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale Cattanach
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Audit Bureau
Madison
January 29, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
As part of our ongoing audit of the Department of Transportation, we have reviewed the administration and funding of the State's railroad crossing safety program. Both the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads share responsibility for the safety of 4,792 public railroad crossings in Wisconsin, which include safety equipment such as railroad warning signs, side-of-the-road or overhead flashing lights, and barrier gates.
From 1974 through 1994, the number of vehicle/train accidents declined from 401 to 165, or 0.1 percent of all vehicle accidents in 1994, and the fatality rate in Wisconsin is lower than the national rate and the rates of other midwestern states. However, Wisconsin's accident and injury rates per 1,000 crossings are higher than the national average and those of most neighboring states. Further, economic costs and the chances of serious injury or death are substantially higher in accidents that involve vehicles and trains than in those that involve vehicles alone.
While the Department has, in recent years, allocated federal funds to railroad crossing safety projects in addition to the federal and state funds appropriated for this purpose, this practice may end because of anticipated demands on federal funds for other transportation purposes. For each year of the 1995-97 biennium, expenditures for new crossing safety equipment are estimated at $2.4 million, continuing the decline in program expenditures from the program's peak year, fiscal year (FY) 1992-93, when $3.6 million was spent. Equipment maintenance funds will remain at FY 1993-94 levels.
At the same time, a growing waiting list of projects identified by the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads includes 34 safety projects with estimated costs of $2.9 million. Another 60 projects await review, which is likely to result in approval of approximately 15 projects with an estimated cost totaling $1.1 million. In addition, the Department has initiated an effort to review safety at all crossings over the next three years.
Alternative sources of funding to provide safety equipment at more crossings may include federal discretionary funds, federal highway safety funds, state funds currently used to reimburse railroad companies for maintenance of safety equipment, local funds when the additional safety equipment results from local road improvement projects, or other funds from the Transportation Fund.
Attached is a more complete discussion of our findings with regard to railroad crossing safety equipment. We appreciate the courtesy and cooperation extended to us by staff of the Department of Transportation and the Office of the Commissioner of Railroads.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale Cattanach
State Auditor
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Administration
Madison
January 30, 1996
To the Honorable, the Legislature:
A837
This report is transmitted as required by sec. 20.002(11)(f) of the Wisconsin Statutes, (for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under sec. 13.172 (3) Stats.), and confirms that the Department of Administration has found it necessary to exercise the "temporary reallocation of balances" authority provided by this section in order to meet payment responsibilities and cover resulting negative balances during the month of December, 1995.
On December 1, 1995 the Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund balance was -$4 thousand. This shortfall continued until December 31, 1995 when the balance reached -$22 thousand. The shortfall was due to the timing of revenues to the fund.
The Wisconsin Health Education Loan Repayment Fund shortfall was not in excess of the $400 million ceiling and did not exceed the balances of the Funds available for interfund borrowing.
The distribution of interest earnings to investment pool participants is based on the average daily balance in the pool and each fund's share. Therefore, the monthly calculation by the State Controller's Office will automatically reflect the use of these temporary reallocations of balance authority.
Sincerely,
James R. Klauser
Secretary, DOA
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Legislative Council Staff
Madison
February 9, 1996
Mr. Charles Sanders
Assembly Chief Clerk
One East Main Street, Suite 402
Madison, WI 53702
Dear Charlie:
Enclosed is a copy of the
1995 Annual Report on the Legislative Council Rules Clearinghouse, submitted to the Legislature pursuant to s.
227.15 (5), Stats. Copies have been distributed to the offices of each member of the Legislature.
The Report covers the 16th full calendar year of operation of the Rules Clearinghouse. I trust that it will be found to be informative.
Sincerely,
David J. Stute
Director
