12 Jul Illinois Electronic Visit Verification
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Illinois Medicaid EVV
What you need to know about Illinois Electronic Visit Verification
As home health and personal care agencies seek compliance and compatibility with regulatory requirements with regard to Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in that state of Illinois, agency administrators face important deadlines for EVV implementation. As one of many states where EVV deadlines are taking effect, Illinois DHS requirements must be met for certain types of care in the state, or agencies will run the risk of failed payments…
Illinois Medicaid EVV Info
WHEN DOES EVV START DATE IN ILLINOIS?
January 1, 2023 is the deadline for all home health services in Illinois to begin using EVV
Initially, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/DRS) began using an “Electronic Visit Verification” (EVV) system for its Home Services Program (HSP) in the beginning of 2014. In 2016, Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act, which requires states to implement the use of Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in all Medicaid-funded personal care services and home health care.
The current requirement mandated a compliance date of January 1, 2020, for all personal care services, and January 1, 2023, for all home health services. However, the state requested and received a one-year federal extension of the January 1, 2020, implementation date. The Department currently estimates implementation for all personal care services by the end of 2021. Illinois DHS will determine what method/system officially will be used to gather and report data used within EVV.
WHAT ARE ILLINOIS EVV SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS?
Agencies are free to select a compliant Illinois EVV system of their preference by the implementation deadline per the specifications of the 21st Century Cures Act, a selected Illinois EVV system must minimally electronically verify the following information:
- The date the service is performed
- The type of service which is performed
- The name of the individual receiving the service
- The location in which the service is performed
- The name of the individual providing the service
- Exact start and end time when the service was performed
What services are impacted under EVV?
- Personal Care Services (PCS): Individuals receiving personal support in the home through Illinois’ Home and Community Based Services waivers, including:
- Persons with Disabilities waiver
- Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury waiver
- Persons with HIV/AIDS waiver
- Persons who are Elderly Waiver
- Adults with Developmental Disabilities Waiver
- Children and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities Support Waiver
- Children and Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities Residential Waiver
- Home Health Care Services (HHCS): Individuals receiving home health services through the Medicaid State Plan
Is an EVV software vendor necessary if my agency already uses a company that captures documentation services and already has the capability to collect visit data?
If your agency already has an EVV system that collects all the data elements that are required and is able to exchange data with the aggregator then there is only a need to check and ensure this is done in full compliance with the state’s chosen system. All EVV vendors or alternate EVV system providers will have to work with your agency and the state to verify they are collecting the mandatory data elements and are able to send them successfully.
The Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS/DRS) is currently using an Electronic Visit Verification System through the Home Services Program (HSP) (additionally the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) currently contracts with Sandata Technologies as the EVV vendor for HSP). This EVV is a timekeeping system that requires your use of the customer’s telephone to “call in” and record the time that you start and stop working for your customer.
Visit the IDHC website for more info
DON’T JUST GET BY – THRIVE WITH ALORA
ALORA offers forward-thinking agencies a complete home health software for Illinois homecare and personal care agencies operating in Illinois. The system features built-in EVV, award-winning full-time support, and unmatched ease of use for both caregivers and admins, packaged within a comprehensive mobile-ready homecare agency management system.
Certified EVV Illinois EVV System
Alora is a Certified EVV Vendor for Illinois Medicaid. Alora automatically transmits EVV information to the Sandata aggregator for visits completed as planned.
For visits that need manual review, such as caregiver forgetting to clock out, Alora queues the visits for manual review and approval before transmitting to Sandata.
Request EVV information Request an EVV price quote
ALORA EVV Benefits include:
- Monitor home visits live, automatically tracking no shows or delayed visits
- Accelerate agency billing and payroll (as EVV data is automatically populated into claims processing & payroll)
- Complete POC-based visit notes directly from Alora’s EVV interface
- Unmatched ease of use for clinicians – In addition to capturing EVV information, nurses & therapists can complete visit notes & assessments while at the patient’s home, enjoying access to important clinical information on their mobile device of choice
- Empower home health aides – with Alora, aides can quickly check their schedules, look up patient information, & communicate directly with your agency through secure mail (includes text notification)
LEARN MORE ABOUT ILLINOIS ELECTRONIC VISIT VERIFICATION
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
THE ORIGIN OF EVV REQUIREMENTS
How EVV began at the federal level
The state and national push for EVV began with the invention of the 21st Century Cures Act. The law was initially introduced a few years ago to provide accountability and efficiency in the world of home health care, reducing the potential for fraud and other payment difficulties. The 21st Century Cures act requires electronic visit verification (EVV) systems for Medicaid-funded personal care services (PCS) and home health services.
Within the 21st Century CURES Act, Section 12006 listed a requirement that states had to implement a compliant EVV system for Medicaid-funded Personal Care Services (PCS) by the original dates of January 1, 2019, and additionally for Home Health Care Services (HHCS) by January 1, 2023. Federal legislation actively delayed any possible penalties for PCS implementation until January 1, 2020. The COVID-19 global pandemic spurred many states to leverage good faith extension requests to ease the already cumbersome burden of timely EVV implementation. As many implementation mandates take effect as of 2021, agencies are now positioning themselves to acquire compatible EVV systems to ensure compliance and no disturbance in timely payments.
THE ALORA HOME HEALTH BLOG
Read the Alora blog and website to learn more about home health software for Illinois Illinois compatible EVV systems, and recent news, articles, and commentaries, as well as other issues that pertain to IL Home health care in the state and beyond. For more information on our blog, or for questions or feedback, please send us an email to HomeHealthSoftware@AloraHealth.com
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