What is Electronic Visit Verification?
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) uses technology to document certain home health and personal care services in the home or community. EVV is efficient, transparent, and improves service delivery. Direct care workers check in at the beginning and check out at the end of each visit through use of a digital device or landline telephone. The EVV system captures the following visit information:
- Who receives the service.
- Who provides the service.
- What service is provided.
- Where the service is provided.
- The date and time the service begins and ends.
ODM contracts with Sandata Technologies, LLC to provide an EVV system at no cost to all providers. Independent providers must use the Sandata system. Agency providers can choose to use the Sandata system or a certified alternate EVV system. Participant-directed providers use certified alternate EVV systems.
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) started its EVV program in 2018 to meet federal requirements in the21st Century Cures Act , Public Law No. 114-244 (114th Congress). The 21st Century Cures Act states that all Medicaid programs must implement an EVV system to verify personal care services by January 1 2020 and, for home health services, by January 1, 2023. Please click herefor more information on EVV rules, laws, and regulations.
Which Services Require EVV?
EVV is required for the below services. Any services listed with an asterisk (*) are new service requirements per Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) Rule 5160-32-01effective July 1, 2024. Please click herefor a current list of Medicaid programs and services subject to EVV in Ohio.
- Nursing facility-based level of care HCBS waiver programs:
- Programs:
- Ohio Home Care Waiver
- MyCare Ohio Waiver
- PASSPORT Waiver
- Services:
- Choices home care attendant
- Enhanced community living*
- Home care attendant
- Personal care aide
- Waiver nursing service
- Programs:
- Developmental disabilities-based level of care waiver programs:
- Programs:
- Individual Options Waiver
- SELF Waiver
- Services:
- Homemaker/personal care
- Participant-directed homemaker/personal care
- Residential respite
- Waiver nursing delegation
- Waiver nursing service
- Programs:
- State plan program services:
- Services:
- Home health services, including:
- Home health aide
- Home health nursing
- Home health therapies including:
- Occupational therapy*
- Physical therapy
- Speech therapy*
- Private duty nursing
- Registered nurse assessment*
- Registered nurse consultation*
- Home health services, including:
- Services:
What’s the Latest on Electronic Visit Verification in Ohio?
Ohio Medicaid is making policy updates and system enhancements to the EVV program. These changes are live on July 1, 2024. The changes include:
- Ohio Medicaid proposed rule updates.
- System enhancements to Sandata devices and the mobile application.
In January 2024, ODM hosted an EVV stakeholder meeting to describe these changes. Please click here for the slides from that meeting.
Ohio Medicaid Rule Updates
Currently, the requirements for EVV are in OAC Rule 5160-1-40. Ohio Medicaid is separating the comprehensive rule into four focused rules.
- OAC Rule 5160-32-01 EVV program.
- OAC Rule 5160-32-02 EVV data collection.
- OAC Rule 5160-32-03 Alternate EVV vendor.
- OAC Rule 5160-32-04 EVV program provider requirements.
To stay updated on OAC rule activity, please create an account here. To view previous, current, and proposed OAC rule update activity, visit the Register of Ohio website here. At the Register of Ohio website, you can search for the current version of the above proposed rules.
Proposed Policy Changes
These rule updates will change parts of the EVV program for individuals receiving services.
Expanding Privacy
Ohio Medicaid recognizes privacy is very important to individuals receiving services. Based on feedback received from stakeholders, Ohio Medicaid is proposing:
| What is the change? | What does the change help address? |
| Limiting the use of GPS technology | |
| Individuals receiving services choose whether to allow GPS to be used in their home and community and give permission for that use. Please note, Ohio Medicaid will continue to meet the federal mandate for location capture by requiring providers to capture the visit location. For each visit, providers indicate when it started and ended and whether it occurred in the individual’s home or community. | Concerns about privacy for individuals receiving services in their homes and communities. |
| Redistributing program-provided devices | |
| EVV devices will no longer be kept in the home of the person receiving services. | Concerns about privacy for individuals receiving services in their homes and communities. |
| Agency service providers and independent providers are responsible for requesting EVV devices. Agency providers will be responsible for distributing those devices to direct care workers. | Concerns about administrative burden and privacy for individuals receiving services in their homes and communities. |
Reducing Administrative Burden
Depending on who you are, these changes have different impacts. Continue reading to see how you may be impacted by the enhancements to EVV in Ohio.
| What is the change? | What does this change help address? |
| Adding financial management service vendors as alternate EVV vendors. | Duplicative documentation for self-directed providers. |
| Removing the EVV signature capture validation step from the individual receiving services for those using the Sandata system. | Duplicative documentation for individuals receiving services. |
| Adding an optional staff scheduling feature for providers using the Sandata system. | Reducing manual input during log in and log out. |
Aligning to Federal Requirements
Beginning July 1, 2024, Ohio Administrative Code rule 5160-32-01, Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) program, permits an exemption to visit capture requirements when the direct care worker is a resident of the same household as the individual receiving services.
Ohio Medicaid is now accepting submission of the Electronic Visit Verification Exemption Request form. Please submit all required documents through an encrypted email to evv@medicaid.ohio.gov or fax to 614-318-4956. Ohio Medicaid will not accept requests through any other submission method. Decisions regarding approval will be sent via email after July 1, 2024.
Prior to submitting the exemption request form, the provider must ensure the direct care worker/employee record and recipient record are in the Sandata EVV system. For those providers using an Alternate EVV vendor and/or Fiscal Management Service (FMS) entity, the direct care worker/employee record and recipient record must be documented in the State’s Aggregator system.
Direct care workers must continue to log all services subject to EVV until the submitted EVV exemption request is approved by Ohio Medicaid. Listed below are the recommended methods for capturing visits (not an all-inclusive list):
- New Sandata Mobile Connect app Apple Store (iPhone) /Google Play (Android)
- Phone call (Telephony)
In addition to the above, Ohio Medicaid will also have an exemption for direct delivery of health services.
How Will These Changes Impact You?
Depending on who you are, these changes have different impacts.
If you are an individual receiving services, you:
- Decide if GPS is used.
- Are not required to validate the EVV visit with your signature for those using the Sandata system.
- Are not required to keep an EVV device when the provider is using the Sandata system.
If you are a provider, you:
- May use the enhanced Sandata Mobile Connect app or obtain an EVV device from Sandata for your staff to use.
- Can decide which new features will benefit your operations and direct care staff. This can include utilizing the Sandata staff scheduling feature to reduce manual input during log in and log out.
- Can meet EVV program requirements through ODM’s financial management service (FMS) visit capture if you are a self-directed provider.
If you are a case manager, you:
- Play an important role in assisting the individual receiving services by providing education, support, and sharing pertinent information in their service plans.
How Do I Find Out More About Sandata System Enhancements?
Sandata is updating its devices and applications to align with these changes that go into effect on July 1, 2024. To find out more about the changes, please visit here for past webinars and trainings covering this topic.
Getting Started with EVV in Ohio
Resources on Ohio Medicaid’s website are undergoing updates throughout this transition period before July 1 program and system changes go live. Please choose from the below links to learn more about EVV in Ohio.
EVV Information for Providers:
- Setting up EVV.
- Using an EVV system.
- Information on alternate EVV systems.
EVV Information for Individuals Receiving Services:
- How EVV works for you.
EVV Information for Case Managers:
- Case manager responsibilities and resources.
EVV Tools and Help Documents:
- EVV program information.
- Sandata system, telephony, and device references.
EVV Webinars:
- Webinar and stakeholder meeting slides.
EVV Newsletters:
- EVV newsletters since 2023.
