New York has elected to proceed with the “Choice Model” for implementing Electronic Visit Verification (EVV).
According to the state Department of Health’s (DOH) announcement, New York selected the Choice Model because it: 1) best ensures that consumers will have EVV options from which to consider when selecting a provider; 2) gives service providers the flexibility to select an option that best meets their business needs and the needs of the consumers they serve; and 3) recognizes that many providers serving New York’s Medicaid consumers have already implemented EVV systems that meet the federal requirements, thus allowing for providers to preserve the investment that has already been made, avoid duplicative costs, and eliminate disruption to consumers and caregivers.
New York has notified the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that it has selected the Choice Model. Its letter to CMS is here.
In the letter, DOH recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic has made EVV implementation more challenging and asks CMS to keep the state informed of any implementation flexibilities it may be considering in regard to delays in EVV implementation.
DOH has published EVV program requirements, including “considerations for selecting an EVV system” here. One of those considerations is that DOH will not endorse, approve or recommend EVV systems, nor will it provide a list of systems from which providers must select.
DOH will also be setting up a Technical Assistance Forum to allow for continued collaboration and communication with EVV stakeholders. The first session will be held on April 20, 2020.
You can register for this session here.
The schedule for subsequent sessions will be available on the EVV event calendar here.
HCA had advocated for an Open Vendor Model under which the state would provide and pay for an EVV option for home care agencies — but also allow them to use and pay for a different EVV vendor — with the state deploying an aggregator to collect EVV data. In addition, HCA had advocated that funding be available to home care providers to pay for EVV irrespective of the model chosen. HCA will be analyzing the Choice Model selected by DOH to determine its effect on providers.
The federal CURES Act mandates that states require EVV use for Medicaid-funded personal care services and home health care services. States were initially required to implement EVV for personal care by January 1, 2020 (New York was granted a one-year delay until January 1, 2021) and for home health care services by January 1, 2023.