Jane:  Hi Ruby. Thanks for stopping by.  I wanted to give you some good news!

Ruby: Sounds like we did OK in the audit?

Jane: (Handing Ruby the report) Yes! Overall we did very well.  As I told you, the purpose of the audit is to determine if we’re meeting the six Assurances and fulfilling the terms of our contract.  Take a look at the report. For each Assurance the report describes the federal requirements and how the state measures our performance on each requirement. As you can see, data from our participant records was a major source of information for the audit.

Ruby: I can see that – and it looks like we did great!

Jane:  Yes. I especially wanted to thank you because in the state’s random review of participant files they chose several of the people you work with.  And they were very impressed --- they specifically praised your service plans and the way you document both the services needed and the way those services were provided.  Your paperwork made it very clear that the services were eligible for reimbursement.  They also noted the thoroughness of the plans and the inclusion of non-Medicaid and informal supports. You were one of our stars!

Ruby: Thanks. I appreciate the good feedback.  I got off to a rocky start, but I really have been working hard since then to make sure everything is in place.

Jane: And it shows.  Thanks to Case Managers like you we did very, very well.

Ruby: I have to admit that when you first talked to me about documentation I had a bad attitude. I was thinking “nobody is going to come here and look at all of these details – its impossible.”  But it was clear you meant business, so I did change my ways!

Jane: Absolutely.  There’s no guesswork involved: the state Medicaid Agency is required to provide oversight of the HCBS waiver, so they will come and they will take a good long look at our records.  They even survey our participants and their families to find out if they’re satisfied with our work.

Ruby:  Right. Now I understand that we need to do all that paperwork so the agency gets credit in an audit.

Jane: (laughing) Well, wait a minute! That’s not the whole story.  Documentation is not just about “getting credit”. It is also about good service.  Documentation helps you think about what you’re doing and check to see if you’ve thought of everything.  It also helps our providers and workers understand what is happening with a participant.

Ruby:  Yes, I’ve really seen how that works.  Its true that the better I get at making notes the better able I am to keep up with my participant’s needs. But right now I am just enjoying this audit report.  Luckily for us, we did great!

Jane: Yes, we did very well. But there’s no “luck” here.  We did great because support coordinators like you not only delivered great services but also documented what you do. 

Ruby: That’s great news for our participants – and also good news for me. I really like my job and I know we only get the chance to continue if we keep our records up to date.

Jane: Thanks, Ruby for all of your hard work.  You’ve made a real difference in the lives of your participants, and that’s what this is all about.