What is Electronic Visit Verification?
The 21st Century Cures Act, passed in December of 2016, encouraged reform and supplementation in multiple aspects of health-care practices. One component of this act is the need for all Medicaid personal and home health-care providers to implement Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) by January 1, 2019. Failure to meet this deadline will result in a decrease in federal medical assistance for those providers. The federal EVV mandate requires affected providers to electronically verify:
The type of service performed
The member receiving the service
The date of service
The location of service delivery
The care provider responsible for the service
The time the service begins and ends
While the EVV mandate is a part of the federal 21st Century Cures Act, many states, like Texas, have added additional requirements that providers must adhere to in order to be EVV compliant.
Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) describes EVV as a “telephone and computer-based system that electronically verifies service visits occur and documents the precise time service begins and ends”. The state of Texas required its Medicaid-enrolled Home Health Agencies to implement the State EVV mandate by June 1, 2015, more than one year prior to the passing of the 21st Century Cures Act, and four years ahead of the federal deadline.
Who Is Affected?
Certain home and community-based services provided by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)
Certain Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)
If you operate within the following programs: STAR + PLUS Dual Eligible Integrated Care Demonstration, STAR Health, STAR Kids, Acute-care Fee for Service, Community Living Assistance and Support Services, Medically Dependent Children Program, Community Attendant Services, Family Care, or Primary Home Care, reach out to Texas Human Health Services to see if you’re affected by the EVV mandate.
What Do EVV Requirements Mean for Your Business?
Health-care providers must use two things to record a service
After providing services, a health-care worker must use an EVV system approved by HHSC and use the clients landline or an approved HHSC small alternative device.
Providers have a strict deadline to input service data
Providers must enter a comprehensive entry of data into the EVV system within 60 days of when the service was performed.
Providers will be assessed on their compliance with the EVV mandate
HHSC will require an EVV Initiative Provider Compliance Plan score of at least 90% for each review period. This compliance depends on following protocol when changing EVV records already in the system, using provided reason codes.
Providers are free to choose their EVV provider
HHBC allows providers to choose their EVV provider as long as they comply with their technical requirements.
Additional Resources
For more information on Texas EVV requirements,Visit:
https://hhs.texas.gov/doing-business-hhs/provider-portals/resources/electronic-visit-verification
Email: electronic_visit_verification@hhsc.state.tx.us
Call: 1-800-252-8263
Abaqus, Inc. is a provider of a powerful platform, allGeo, an EVV solution for in-home care providers. allGeo leverages the advancements in the modern technology in the smartphones/sensors, apps, location-based services, and cellular communication to provide you with a scalable and robust in-home care workforce solution to help meet EVV requirements for Medicaid compliance.
If you have any questions or need additional information about the Electronic Visit Verification we offer, please reach us at sales@abaq.us or call us at +1 415-496-9436
