What is the Purpose of EVV?
Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) was implemented to protect Medicare, home care agencies, and their customers from fraudulent activity. Without proof of services, caregivers could easily claim they had visited a client and put in many hours of work when, in reality, they hadn’t.
“The new EVV expectations aim to address fraud, prevent improper payments and protect beneficiaries in Medicaid’s personal care services program.” – Home Care Magazine
EVV was mandated by Congress in 2016 via the 21st Century Cures Act, but it officially went into effect for home care in 2019 (or 2021, with state extensions).
Many home care agencies are still working on the most efficient way to accommodate EVV compliance, and “…many providers have the option of implementing either a state-procured EVV solution or a commercially available solution.” – Home Health Care News
The process isn’t without its headaches. Depending on whether an agency’s state has chosen an open or a closed model, it can require an overhaul of home care software and significant changes to other systems and procedures.
Look up your state’s current status on EVV implementation—and whether AxisCare is compatible with your state’s solution—using this search tool.
How Does the EVV System Work?
When caregivers visit a client, they have to report the date of service, location of service, the individual receiving the service and providing the service, the service type, and the beginning and end times of service.
Of course, verbal or written reports of a visit are no longer sufficient. This information must be recorded and verified electronically.
Fortunately, technology has provided multiple avenues for verifying this data. These include: telephony (caregivers use a patient’s landline to call in and call out when starting and ending shifts) and using a GPS-Smartphone App (GPS signatures confirm the location of the caregiver when clocking in and out).
Does your homecare scheduling and staffing software include EVV tools? Our Telephony and GPS Mobile App features make AxisCare a management and EVV software power package.
How Will EVV Help My Home Care Business?
EVV is an efficient and fair system of accountability for all home care services. Agencies can only benefit from the ability to guarantee home care visits and prove, if necessary, that they occurred. They also benefit from the ability to confirm billable hours.
“Without accurate mobile record keeping, caregivers could forget to fill out their timesheets properly or even falsify their work logs and be paid for services that weren’t rendered. This results in compliance failures for agencies and increases costs due to payroll fraud and error—hindering their ability to plan and grow their businesses.” – Home Care Magazine
Even caregivers, who generally work alone, benefit from the GPS tracking. Electronic communication adds a level of safety, with coordinates helping employers locate and assist caregivers in a crisis.
EVV is bureaucratic and a source of extra effort, but it also has the power to make Medicaid (and the 96% of elderly Americans subscribed to it) more reliable. When Medicaid is more reliable, home care business is booming.
…and life is better for everyone who depends on both.
