Home Health & Hospice Week

Don’t miss electronic visit verification (EVV) on your Medicaid compliance list for this year, because it may be squarely on your state’s radar.

For example: “If providers have not already started implementing EVV, providers are at risk of being out of compliance on January 1,” warns the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services in a Dec. 29 message to providers. “All claims and encounters for HHCS are subjected to EVV requirements for dates of service on or after January 1, 2024 and must have a corresponding EVV visit, or claims payment will be impacted,” the state stresses.

Nebraska is another state going live with the requirements on Jan. 1, according to the state. Beneficiaries can verify visits “from the provider’s smartphone at the end of the visit, telephonically via the member’s phone, or through a fixed device furnished by the state located in the member’s home,” the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services notes on its website.

“Some states are already operational while others will not be able to implement on time,” notes the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in an EVV white paper released last month. “However, the majority of states will move forward with the requirements in January,” NAHC cautions.

Some states are enforcing “hard edits” right off the bat, while others will have a phase-in period, the trade group observes. If you haven’t done so yet, find out all you can about your state’s EVV requirements, get into compliance, and train staff accordingly, it advises.

Exceptions: “The EVV mandate only applies to Medicaid home health services and is not required for Medicare-funded home health,” NAHC offers. “Similarly,

dual eligibles with Medicare as the payer of home health services do not require EVV.”