State audit finds $1 million in ‘questionable spending’ of federal funds

The first in a series of audits related to to budget oversight and accountability raised some concerns with Missouri state auditor Nicole Galloway.

The Statewide Single Audit annually reviews the state’s management and spending of $8.4 billion in federal dollars.

The report released Tuesday identified $1 million in questionable costs in social safety net programs, like Medicaid.

“As the Legislature and governor are making deep cuts, the state simply must do a better job managing taxpayer dollars,” said Galloway. “State agencies have an obligation to eliminate waste, and it’s frustrating that we continue to find the same problems year-after-year.”

The review identified a lack of accountability in two agencies that administer federal funds: The Department of Mental Health and the Department of Social Services.

Five of the six findings included in the report were repeat issues from prior year audits.

Some of the concerns have been repeatedly raised, including one reported every year since 2010.

“Taxpayer dollars cannot go to doctors, hospitals and other health care providers who are not eligible to receive payments,” said Galloway. “Scarce resources mean fewer Missouri families and children may be able to access healthcare because of the inefficiencies and waste we continually find.”

The full auditor’s report can be seen by following this link.