The “Tea” on EVV

Electronic Visit Verification

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a system used to track the delivery of home healthcare services by electronically documenting the time and location of a caregiver’s visit in a patient’s home. In California, EVV is required for certain Medicaid-funded in-home care services. It was introduced with the 21st Century CURES Act, and signed into law in 2016.

Here are some important things to know about EVV in California:

1. Who is affected: EVV is required for certain Medicaid-funded in-home care services, including personal care services, in-home support services, and waiver personal care services. If you are unsure if EVV applies to you, here is a full list of service types and codes on the Department of Health Care Services website. 
2. What is required: The EVV system must document 6 data points:
   1. The date of service delivery
   2. The time of service delivery
   3. The type of service delivery
   4. The location of service delivery
   5. The person receiving services
   6. The caregiver delivering service. 
3. How to comply: Providers must use an EVV system that meets the state’s requirements. There are 2 types of systems to consider:
   1. CalEVV – DDS and DHCS partnered with Sandata Technologies as the state’s EVV vendor. Sandata aggregates the EVV data submitted by every provider, as well as offers a free EVV solution. California has chosen an Open EVV model where providers can choose their own system:  Sandata or an alternative EVV system, known as altEVV.  Overall, the California EVV program includes more than 7,000 provider agencies and 180,000 Medicaid members. 
   2. altEVV – Alternate EVV software solutions can be used in lieu of the state’s free option. However, they must be certified for use with Sandata and pass their testing requirements to properly transmit EVV data on behalf of the provider agency. 
4. Penalties for non-compliance: Providers who do not comply with the EVV requirements may face penalties, including a reduction in payment rates or suspension of payments. At the time of this writing, no formal documentation has been published by DDS or DHCS on what penalty specifics. 
5. Exceptions: There are some exceptions to the EVV requirement, such as a “live in” caregiver who regularly remains in the recipient’s home for more than 24 hours at a time and provides any of the authorized personal care services and home health care services.
6. Timeline: California began implementing EVV requirements in January 2020, and full compliance was required for PCS by January 1, 2022, and HHCS by January 1, 2023. 

Providers of in-home care services in California need to understand and comply with the state’s EVV requirements to avoid penalties and ensure they are delivering high-quality care to their clients. For more information, visit the DHCS EVV page. 

Choosing the Right Tool

Choosing the right software tool for Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) compliance in California can be challenging. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:

1. Compliance: The software tool must be compliant with the EVV requirements set by the state of California. Ensure that the software you choose meets all of the state’s requirements and regulations.
2. User-friendliness: The EVV system should be easy to use for both caregivers and administrators. The software should be intuitive and user-friendly, with clear instructions and a simple interface.
3. Integration: The software should integrate with your existing systems, including your electronic health record (EHR) system and payroll system. This will reduce duplication of work and increase efficiency.
4. Customizability: The EVV software should be customizable to meet your specific needs. You should be able to customize the system to capture the data that is most relevant to your organization.
5. Mobile access: The EVV software should be accessible from mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, so that caregivers can easily use the system in the field.
6. Security: The software should be secure and protect sensitive patient data. The EVV system should meet HIPAA compliance standards and have adequate security measures in place.
7. Customer support: Choose a software provider with excellent customer support. You want to be able to get in touch with customer support when you need help or have questions.

By considering these factors when choosing an EVV software tool, you can ensure that you are selecting a system that meets your organization’s needs and helps you comply with California’s EVV requirements.

The Downside of Multiple Systems

If you have multiple systems (electronic or paper) to operate different facets of your operations, you’re not alone. We understand how cumbersome and exhausting it can be to manage data in multiple ways and places, none of it talking to the other. This is true for many provider agencies who started using Sandata’s free mobile app for EVV capture. They were optimistic it could improve workflow, but sadly they have already given up on it. They found the mobile app was clunky and difficult for caregivers to use and it didn’t synchronize with their existing systems for scheduling, timekeeping, notes, or payroll. This results in caregivers spending more time in separate systems, performing duplicate data entry, which means less time providing care. 

At QSP, we pride ourselves on having a comprehensive solution for the many challenges that face agencies providing care to folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Our certified atlEVV solution is just one of the many tools that help put time back into your hands, and a feeling of security knowing you’re more audit-safe than you were before. 

Here’s how QSP checks off the boxes for EVV and beyond: 

• Scheduler – QSP’s dynamic scheduling feature is integrated into nearly everything including mobile timekeeping, EVV,  service notes, medication tracking, mileage tracking, payroll and billing reports, and timesheets.  You don’t need to worry about updating data in multiple places to ensure it aligns.
• QSMobile – Our user-friendly, sleek, and intuitive mobile application is available on iOS and Android devices and provides caregivers with all the tools they need to verify and document service delivery. Each provider agency can customize how these tools are implemented.
• QSClock – Our mobile timekeeping app allows caregivers to verify when they started and ended their shift with the use of GPS tracking. It integrates directly with the schedule and EVV.
• Geofencing – This feature integrates with QSClock and the Scheduler and helps agencies know, in real-time, if a caregiver is attempting to clock in or out when they are not at the client’s home.
• Daily Service Notes – It’s important to know what occurred during each shift and our Daily Service Notes features provide client-specific forms that guide employees to input the service documentation unique to each person being served.
• EVV Module – Our unique EVV interface gives clear feedback by highlighting unverified visits that require attention before uploading to the EVV Aggregator successfully. You will never get a failed EVV upload because of how QSP screens each visit prior to transmission. You are given complete control over the frequency and submission of your visits to ensure they align with your billing and payroll.

For a personalized demo and to talk to one of our EVV experts, give us a call (385) 743-8777 or email us directly at info@quicksolveplus.com

We look forward to serving you.