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Electronic Visit Verification Newsletter | May 2024

In this issue:

• July 1 Electronic Visit Verification program changes
• Live-in direct care service worker exemption process and form
• Device ordering moving to eTRAC only in June
• Common EVV questions
• Ask a trainer
• April 2024 Sandata releases
• Payment Error Rate Measurement 2025 review is now in progress
• Contact information

July 1 Electronic Visit Verification program changes

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) is making policy updates and system enhancements to the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) program. These changes go into effect July 1, and include: 

• Ohio Medicaid EVV proposed rule updates.
• System enhancements to Sandata devices and applications.

Requirements for the current EVV program are detailed in Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule 5160-1-40. Ohio Medicaid is proposing to separate this comprehensive rule into four focused rules: 

• OAC 5160-32-01 EVV program.
• OAC 5160-32-02 EVV data collection.
• OAC 5160-32-03 Alternate EVV vendor.
• OAC 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.

Materials and educational opportunities will continue to be communicated as the program prepares for changes occurring July 1. To stay updated on ODM EVV program communications you can sign up for notifications by clicking on the ODM website.

Live-in direct care service worker exemption process and form

Ohio Medicaid is making a change to align to federal requirements for EVV.  Effective July 1, a direct care worker (DCW) who is a resident of the same household as the individual receiving services may be exempt from outlined requirements in the EVV rule once approval from ODM has been granted. Those seeking a live-in exemption will be required to submit the Electronic Visit Verification Exemption Request form to ODM. ODM will send out a notification once the form and process are available.

Device ordering moving to eTRAC only in June

In preparation for the new provider-centered device ordering process – beginning July 1 – the "Request Device" button will be removed from the Client management screen within the Sandata EVV web portal. Devices can be requested from https://etraconline.net. If you have questions about device ordering, please reach out to the Provider Support Hotline at 855-805-3505.

Common EVV questions

All Providers

Question: I have taken the instructor led EVV Enhancement Training and one of the new features mentioned was related to DODD services that span across two calendar days. Can you explain that new feature and how it will help providers who render DODD waiver services?

Answer: Today, visits with homemaker and personal care (HPC) service must end at 11:59 p.m. and a new service started at 12 a.m. With the enhancement on June 30, Sandata will automatically calculate the units for two calendar days without the need to end and start a visit at 11:59 p.m. and 12 a.m. This also means that manual visit entry or edits will not be required to account for visits that span across two calendar days. This change is less burdensome for direct care workers and providers.

Question: What services will require EVV in the new OAC, effective July 1?

Answer: The proposed EVV OAC can be found on Register of Ohio.The following services will be subject to EVV: 

Question: I have heard the EVV is going to require State of Ohio ID (OHID) single sign-on and multi-factor authentication (MFA). How do I create an OHID and set up MFA?

Answer: Sandata EVV web portal, EVV Aggregator, and Sandata Zendesk users will be required to obtain an OHID and establish MFA via the state’s InnovateOhio Platform. The additional security aims to improve user connectivity and to prevent hacking or inadvertent exposure of sensitive data. To keep information secure, Sandata EVV web portal, Aggregator, and Zendesk can only be accessed by logging in with OHID credentials and successfully completing the MFA setup. The single sign-on process is well documented, and many providers already use it in production within other state systems such as ODM’s Provider Network Management module. Please refer to the OHID MFA Job Aide to create an OHID and set up MFA as soon as possible.

Providers Using Provisioned EVV Devices

Question:  Once the new Sandata devices are in use, what happens to the old ones?

Answer: Current Ohio EVV state-provisioned devices will be deactivated July 1. Providers who are currently using a device have two options:

1. Download the Sandata Mobile Connect (SMC) application on their personal device.
2. Initiate a new device request in eTRAC .

Everyone is encouraged to recycle the existing EVV devices. To find out more about electronic waste disposal, visit Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Where to Recycle for locations and guidance.

Additional commercial sources providing safe and secure recycling include: Best Buy Electronics and Appliances Recycling. Staples Recycling Services.

Ask a trainer

Do you have questions about EVV?

Do you have questions about EVV? You can schedule a session by clicking EVV Help to reserve a private Zoom call with a Sandata trainer. During the session training materials and resources will be shared and all your EVV questions can be addressed. Sessions are available Monday-Friday at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Eastern time. If these times do not work for your schedule, please reach out to odmevvtraining@sandata.com to request an alternate time.

The following topics are addressed in the sessions:

• Getting started with EVV.
• Improving EVV claims matchi
• Solving reoccurring exceptions.

There is no limit to the number of sessions you can attend. If you schedule a session and need to cancel, please do so in advance using the instructions on the confirmation email.

April 2024 Sandata releases

Sandata regularly updates its EVV software via releases to ensure it runs smoothly. Below are the changes you may have noticed in the Sandata EVV web portal and SMC app in April.

Electronic Visit Verification web portal releases

• When certain reports returned zero results in Aggregator, the "Sorry, your report request produced no results" message was not formatted correctly. A fix has been made to ensure this message appears the same across reports.
• In EVV and Aggregator, the "GPS Distance Exception" report would return an error sometimes when run. A fix was made to eliminate these report errors.
• In Aggregator, the "User Login History" report showed internal Sandata users instead of agency users. With the April release internal Sandata users will no longer appear in this report.
• In EVV and Aggregator, the "Active Employee" report now includes a new column for the direct care worker’s National Provider Identifier number.

Sandata Mobile Connect releases

• There were no functionality updates to the SMC application in April.

You can access Sandata Release Notes here, but need a Zendesk EVV account to view. Please sign up at the link if you do not have an account already.

Questions about releases or the system should be directed to the Sandata EVV Provider Hotline at 855-805-3505 or ODMCustomerCareemail@sandata.com. 

Payment Error Rate Measurement 2025 review is now in progress

The Ohio Department of Medicaid is mandated to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) program. This will assess our payment accuracy rate for the Medicaid and CHIP programs. If chosen in a random sample, your organization will soon receive a Medical Records Request from the CMS review contractor, Empower AI. This cycle measurement will review Medicaid and CHIP payments made in Reporting Year (RY) 2025: July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

Please be advised that ODM may recover payments made to sampled providers who fail to cooperate with the CMS contractor by established deadlines.

Providers who are no longer doing business with Ohio Medicaid are obligated under the terms of the Provider Agreement to retain recipient records for six years from the date of payment.

For more information about PERM and your role as a provider, please visit the Provider link on the CMS PERM website.

For a video explaining the process click here.

Contact Ohio Department of Medicaid Audit Coordination Team if you have questions at: Audit_Documentation@medicaid.ohio.gov.

Contact information

The Sandata EVV Provider Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern time. You can call or email anytime, and Sandata will return your call during hours of operation. 

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