U.S. OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OFFICE OF AUDITS Final Audit Report Subject: Audit of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Operations at Aetna Open Access - Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona Report No. lC-WO-OO-ll-OS7 Date: December 22, 2011 -- CAUTION - This audit report has been distributed to Federal officials who are responsible for the admini~tration of the audited program. This audit report may contain proprietary data which is protected by Federal law (18 V.S.c. 1905). Therefore, while this audit report is available under the Freedom of Information Act and made available to the public on the OIG webpage, caution needs to be exercised before releasing the report to the general puhlic as it may contain proprietary information that was redacted from the publicly distributed copy. UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Washington, DC 20415 Ofticc of the In"'pec!or General EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Community-Rated Health Maintenance Organization Aetna Open Access - Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona Contract Number CS 2867 - Plan Code WQ Blue Bell, Pennsylvania Report No. tC-WO-OO-lt-OS7 Date: 12/22/11 The Otlice of the Inspector General perfonned an audit of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) operations at Aetna Open Access - Phoenix and Tucson. Arizona (Plan). The audit covered contract years 2007 through 2011. We found that the FEHBP rates were developed in accordance with appl icable laws. regulations, and the Oftice of Personnel Management's rating instructions for the years audited. www.opm.gov www.usajobs.gov UNITED STATES OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT Washington. DC 20415 Office of lhe In:-.peclOr General AUDIT REPORT Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Community-Rated Health Maintenance Organization Aetna Open Access - Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona Contract Number CS 2867 - Plan Code WQ Blue Bell, Pennsylvania Report No. lC-WO-OO-11-OS7 Date: 1 2 /22/ 11 Michael R. Esser Assistant Inspector General for Audits www.opm.go\l www.usajobs.go\l CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. i I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND..................................................................... 1 II. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY ......................................................... 3 III. RESULTS OF THE AUDIT ............................................................................................ 5 IV. MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS REPORT ............................................................ 6 I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Introduction We completed an audit of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) operations at Aetna Open Access – Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona (Plan). The audit covered contract years 2007 through 2011. The audit was conducted pursuant to the provisions of Contract CS 2867; 5 U.S.C. Chapter 89; and 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Chapter 1, Part 890. The audit was performed by the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM), Office of Inspector General (OIG), as established by the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended. Background The FEHBP was established by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (Public Law 86- 382), enacted on September 28, 1959. The FEHBP was created to provide health insurance benefits for federal employees, annuitants, and dependents. The FEHBP is administered by OPM’s Healthcare and Insurance Office. The provisions of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act are implemented by OPM through regulations codified in Chapter 1, Part 890 of Title 5, CFR. Health insurance coverage is provided through contracts with health insurance carriers who provide service benefits, indemnity benefits, or comprehensive medical services. Community-rated carriers participating in the FEHBP are subject to various federal, state and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. While most carriers are subject to state jurisdiction, many are further subject to the Health Maintenance Organization Act of 1973 (Public Law 93- 222), as amended (i.e., many community-rated carriers are federally qualified). In addition, participation in the FEHBP subjects the carriers to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act and implementing regulations promulgated by OPM. The FEHBP should pay a market price FEHBP Contracts/Members March 31 rate, which is defined as the best rate offered to either of the two groups closest 16,000 in size to the FEHBP. In contracting with 14,000 community-rated carriers, OPM relies on 12,000 carrier compliance with appropriate laws 10,000 and regulations and, consequently, does 8,000 not negotiate base rates. OPM negotiations relate primarily to the level of coverage 6,000 and other unique features of the FEHBP. 4,000 2,000 The chart to the right shows the number of 0 FEHBP contracts and members reported by 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Contracts 5,886 5,909 5,859 6,080 5,697 the Plan as of March 31 for each contract Members 14,208 14,056 13,611 13,617 12,893 year audited. 1 The Plan has participated in the FEHBP since 2002 and provides health benefits to FEHBP members in the Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona areas. The last audit of the Plan conducted by our office was a full scope audit of contract years 2003 through 2006 and identified $207,308 in defective pricing. All issues identified in the previous audit have been resolved. The preliminary results of this audit were discussed with Plan officials at an exit conference and in subsequent correspondence. Since the audit concluded that the Plan’s rating of the FEHBP was in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and instructions, a draft report was not issued. 2 II. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY Objectives The primary objectives of the audit were to verify that the Plan offered market price rates to the FEHBP and to verify that the loadings to the FEHBP rates were reasonable and equitable. Additional tests were performed to determine whether the Plan was in compliance with the provisions of the laws and regulations governing the FEHBP. Scope FEHBP Premiums Paid to Plan We conducted this performance audit in accordance with generally accepted government $70 auditing standards. Those standards require that $60 Millions $50 we plan and perform the audit to obtain $40 sufficient, appropriate evidence to provide a $30 reasonable basis for our findings and conclusions $20 based on our audit objectives. We believe that $10 the evidence obtained provides a reasonable $0 basis for our findings and conclusions based on 2007 2008 2009 2010 Revenue $48.6 $55.1 $57.7 $63.7 our audit objectives. This performance audit covered contract years 2007 through 2011. For contract years 2007 through 2010, the FEHBP paid approximately $225.1 million in premiums to the Plan 1. The premiums paid for each contract year audited are shown on the chart above. OIG audits of community-rated carriers are designed to test carrier compliance with the FEHBP contract, applicable laws and regulations, and OPM rate instructions. These audits are also designed to provide reasonable assurance of detecting errors, irregularities, and illegal acts. We obtained an understanding of the Plan’s internal control structure, but we did not use this information to determine the nature, timing, and extent of our audit procedures. However, the audit included such tests of the Plan’s rating system and such other auditing procedures considered necessary under the circumstances. Our review of internal controls was limited to the procedures the Plan has in place to ensure that: • The appropriate similarly sized subscriber groups (SSSG) were selected; • the rates charged to the FEHBP were the market price rates (i.e., equivalent to the best rate offered to the SSSGs); and • the loadings to the FEHBP rates were reasonable and equitable. 1 The 2011 premiums were not available as of the date of this report. 3 In conducting the audit, we relied to varying degrees on computer-generated billing, enrollment, and claims data provided by the Plan. We did not verify the reliability of the data generated by the various information systems involved. However, nothing came to our attention during our audit testing utilizing the computer-generated data to cause us to doubt its reliability. We believe that the available data was sufficient to achieve our audit objectives. Except as noted above, the audit was conducted in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. The audit fieldwork and additional audit work was completed at our offices located in Washington, D.C., Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, and Jacksonville, Florida. Methodology We examined the Plan’s federal rate submissions and related documents as a basis for validating the market price rates. In addition, we examined the rate development documentation and billings to other groups, such as the SSSGs, to determine if the market price was actually charged to the FEHBP. Finally, we used the contract, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Acquisition Regulations, and OPM’s Rate Instructions to Community-Rated Carriers to determine the propriety of the FEHBP premiums and the reasonableness and acceptability of the Plan’s rating system. To gain an understanding of the internal controls in the Plan’s rating system, we reviewed the Plan’s rating system’s policies and procedures, interviewed appropriate Plan officials, and performed other auditing procedures necessary to meet our audit objectives. 4 III. RESULTS OF THE AUDIT Our audit showed that the Plan’s rating of the FEHBP was in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and OPM’s rating instructions to carriers for contract years 2007 through 2011. Consequently, the audit did not identify any questioned costs and no corrective action is necessary. 5 IV. MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS REPORT Community-Rated Audits Group , Auditor-in-Charge , Lead Auditor _______________________________________________________________________ ., Chief , Senior Team Leader 6
Audit of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program Operations at Aetna Open Access - Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona
Published by the Office of Personnel Management, Office of Inspector General on 2011-12-22.
Below is a raw (and likely hideous) rendition of the original report. (PDF)