In This Issue:
Let us rejoice in the season upon us. It sparks the spirit of joy and giving so we may rise above our own circumstances to be the reason another feels seen, heard, welcomed, and loved.
“Thank you” will never be enough to honor all you do to make the lives of thousands of Ohioans better. You don’t just make a difference. You make a ga-zillion differences!
When we count our blessings this holiday season please know you’re at the top of the list!
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Beginning January 1, 2026, all PASSPORT and Ohio Home Care Waiver (OHCW) service claims that require electronic visit verification (EVV) must have a matching EVV visit record at the time of claim submission. Claims submitted without a matching EVV visit record will be denied.
To help you prepare for new claims requirements, HHA Exchange (formerly Sandata Technologies) is offering a series of dedicated trainings for OCHW and PASSPORT providers. Simply click on the registration links in the table below to sign up.
Additionally, the Ohio Department of Medicaid is offering training sessions for both OHCW and PASSPORT providers. They are listed below along with links to register.
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Ohio Medicaid Training
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Date and Time
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Registration
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Ohio Home Care Waiver
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December 5, 1 p.m.
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Register
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Ohio Home Care Waiver
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December 10, 12 p.m.
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Register
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PASSPORT Waiver
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December 9, 12 p.m.
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Register
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PASSPORT and OHCW providers can find additional EVV and claims validation resources on ODM's Electronic Visit Verification webpage.
 On January 1, 2026, ODM launches the Next Generation MyCare Program, introducing changes to the managed care entities supporting Ohioans eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare health coverage. With the launch please note:
- After December 31, Aetna will no longer participate in any program that is required to use EVV.
- After December 31, United Healthcare (UHC) will not participate in the MyCare Ohio program but will continue to support EVV requirements for their enrolled Medicaid managed care recipients using home health and private duty nursing services.
- Beginning January 1, 2026, Anthem will be added as a MyCare Ohio program payer.
See the complete list of services and procedure codes affected by the upcoming MyCare launch.
Important Reminder
EVV authorizations must be updated in the EVV system when a member's payor changes. For guidance on how to update the authorization in the Sandata portal, please review Creating Recipient Authorizations.
⚠️ Please note: EVV claims validation requirements for MyCare begin March 1, 2026. MyCare claims will not be denied due to EVV data discrepancies until the Phase 7 implementation. Look for more guidance as this date draws closer.
Ohio Medicaid hosts the next EVV stakeholder workgroup on Tuesday, December 16. Please feel free to join us by registering here. You can also catch up on last month’s meeting by viewing November 17 – EVV Stakeholder Workgroup slides.
The Ohio Department of Aging has begun rolling out the use of "AGE" as a shorthand for the department.
The abbreviated name better aligns with how the Office of Budget and Management and Ohio Legislative Service Commission refer to the agency regarding budgeting and legislation. "AGE" is also more recognizable, distinguishes the department from similarly titled agencies, and is already part of the agency’s email addresses.
One thing that hasn't changed: the agency's efforts to make Ohio the best place to AGE in the nation.
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We are working tirelessly to help providers get started with and maintain electronic visit verification requirements. The new checklists below are the latest examples of this commitment.
Take a look and let us know what you think.
If you have ideas for other ways we can help you meet EVV requirements, let us know. Send suggestions to odmevv@sandata.com.
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Emotional wellness is as important as physical health, especially for caregivers and families supporting loved ones with disabilities.
Though the holidays are a very special time, they can also be immensely stressful. Finances may be stretched due to extra expenses or less work, not to mention all the impacts on scheduling events and family visits.
The Wellness Project, available through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, provides a collection of tools and activities created to support the well-being of caregivers across Ohio. Explore ideas for self-care, reflection, and connection at your own pace. But most of all, remember to take time to take care of yourself this holiday season.
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HHA Exchange regularly updates its EVV software via releases to ensure everything runs smoothly. Below are the changes you may have noticed in the Sandata system last month.
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Date
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System
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Issue
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Description
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11/19/2025
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EVV
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Data Entry Enhancement
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In some instances, a recipient record could not be created when the name included a number or special character. This update will allow recipients to be created in more instances when a number or special character is included in their file.
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11/19/2025
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EVV
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Provider Registration Enhancement
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When registering for a new EVV account in the Provider Registration Portal, the provider type (Independent Provider or Agency) will now be defaulted based on the Provider’s Medicaid record. The provider will no longer be allowed to manually select their provider type.
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11/19/2025
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EVV
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Visit Maintenance Enhancement
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When using the “Create Visit” manual visit workflow in Visit Maintenance, providers can now select a location (Home or Community) for both the Call-In and Call-Out in the event the location changes during the course of the visit.
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11/19/2025
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EVV
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Authorization Management Enhancement
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In the recipient record, authorizations can no longer be deleted using the trash bin icon. Authorizations can still be edited and end-dated if they are no longer needed.
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11/19/2025
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EVV
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DCW/Employee Maintenance Defect Resolution
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When updating a DCW/Employee’s identifiers in Sandata EVV, the record can now be saved if the Employee ID field is left blank.
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Questions about releases or the system in general should be directed to the Sandata EVV Provider Hotline. Please call 855-805-3505 or send an email to ODMCustomerCareemail@sandata.com.
Ohio Medicaid and HHA Exchange (formerly Sandata Technologies) are ready to assist providers and agencies in meeting claims validation requirements and more.
Click here to see who to contact regarding specific topics.
To stay updated on ODM EVV program communications, sign up for notifications by subscribing to Medicaid news on the Ohio Medicaid website.
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