Subpart M - Oversight and Program Integrity Standards for State Exchanges

Source:

78 FR 65095, Oct. 30, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

§ 155.1200 General program integrity and oversight requirements.

(a) General requirement. A State Exchange must:

(1) Keep an accurate accounting of Exchange receipts and expenditures in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

(2) Monitor and report to HHS on Exchange related activities.

(3) Collect and report to HHS performance monitoring data.

(b) Reporting. The State Exchange must, at least annually, provide to HHS, in a manner specified by HHS and by applicable deadlines specified by HHS, the following data and information:

(1) A financial statement presented in accordance with GAAP,

(2) Information showing compliance with Exchange requirements under this part 155 through submission of annual reports,

(3) Performance monitoring data, and

(4) If the Exchange is collecting premiums under § 155.240, a report on instances in which it did not reduce an enrollee's premium by the amount of the advance payment of the premium tax credit in accordance with § 155.340(g)(1) and (2).

(c) External audits. The State Exchange must engage an independent qualified auditing entity which follows generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS) to perform an annual independent external financial and programmatic audit and must make such information available to HHS for review. The State Exchange must:

(1) Provide to HHS the results of the annual external audit; and

(2) Inform HHS of any material weakness or significant deficiency identified in the audit and must develop and inform HHS of a corrective action plan for such material weakness or significant deficiency;

(3) Make public a summary of the results of the external audit.

(d) External audit standard. The State Exchange must ensure that independent audits of State Exchange financial statements and program activities in paragraph (c) of this section address:

(1) Compliance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section;

(2) Compliance with subparts D and E of this part 155, or other requirements under this part 155 as specified by HHS;

(3) Processes and procedures designed to prevent improper eligibility determinations and enrollment transactions, as applicable;

(4) Compliance with eligibility and enrollment standards through sampling, testing, or other equivalent auditing procedures that demonstrate the accuracy of eligibility determinations and enrollment transactions; and

(5) Identification of errors that have resulted in incorrect eligibility determinations, as applicable.

[78 FR 65095, Oct. 30, 2013, as amended at 84 FR 71710, Dec. 27, 2019]

§ 155.1210 Maintenance of records.

(a) General. The State Exchange must maintain and must ensure its contractors, subcontractors, and agents maintain for 10 years, documents and records (whether paper, electronic, or other media) and other evidence of accounting procedures and practices, which are sufficient to do the following:

(1) Accommodate periodic auditing of the State Exchange's financial records; and

(2) Enable HHS or its designee(s) to inspect facilities, or otherwise evaluate the State- Exchange's compliance with Federal standards.

(b) Records. The State Exchange and its contractors, subcontractors, and agents must ensure that the records specified in paragraph (a) of this section include, at a minimum, the following:

(1) Information concerning management and operation of the State Exchange's financial and other record keeping systems;

(2) Financial statements, including cash flow statements, and accounts receivable and matters pertaining to the costs of operations;

(3) Any financial reports filed with other Federal programs or State authorities;

(4) Data and records relating to the State Exchange's eligibility verifications and determinations, enrollment transactions, appeals, and plan variation certifications; and

(5) Qualified health plan contracting (including benefit review) data and consumer outreach and Navigator grant oversight information.

(c) Availability. A State Exchange must make all records and must ensure its contractors, subcontractors, and agents must make all records in paragraph (a) of this section available to HHS, the OIG, the Comptroller General, or their designees, upon request.