| The Louisiana Department of Health’s Medicaid office recently began phasing in its Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system for in-home personal care service providers. This system electronically records and documents precisely the type of service performed, the individual receiving the service, thedate of the service, the location of service delivery, the individualproviding the service, and the time the service begins and ends. Because it is web-based, it can be used from any device that is ableto access the internet, including PCs, smartphones and tablets. EVV is a monitoring program that safeguards against fraud. Implemented under the 21st Century Cures Act to ensure individuals are receiving the services authorized in their plans of care, EVV also reduces inappropriate billings/payments and improves program oversight. Louisiana’s Medicaid office began requiring in-home personal care services providers to begin using EVV reporting in early 2018 and made training mandatory for all providers. The office is now beginning to establish performance thresholds to ensure the state is in compliance with the 21st Century Cures Act: Beginning April 1, 2019, at least 50 percent of services must be reported through EVV. Beginning August 1, 2019, at least 80 percent of services must be reported through EVV. Beginning October 1, 2019, at least 90 percent of services must be reported through EVV. Personal care services providers will be held to the 90 percent standard going forward from October 1. Staff from the Office of Aging and Adult Services and the Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities are contacting providers who are at risk of not meeting the 50 percent threshold by April 1 to help them achieve compliance. Once a provider is deemed out of compliance, payment will be withheld for services that were manually entered or reported in excess of their allowance. Payments will be released after the non-compliant provider begins reporting services through EVV. |
