ADvancing States Releases Paper on Electronic Visit Verification for HCBS

ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Electronic Visit Verification: Implications for States, Providers, and Medicaid Participants, which was developed in partnership with Jennifer Burnett, former Deputy Secretary of the Pennsylvania Office of Long Term Living.   

This report describes key considerations and policy decisions that states should consider as they work to implement electronic visit verification (EVV) systems in accordance with the mandate included in the 21^st Century Cures Act.  The paper also examines different approaches that states may wish to use to establish EVV within their HCBS programs, and discusses some of the benefits and challenges associated with each approach.  Lastly, it includes case studies of four states with existing EVV systems.     

Martha Roherty, ADvancing States Executive Director, offered the following comments on the report release, “In accordance with the CURES Act, states must have electronic visit verification in place by January 1, 2019.  There are many considerations that should be taken into account when developing a system that meets the statutory requirements while also improving quality of care and promoting participant choice.  We developed this paper to assist states as they work towards EVV implementation in accordance with CURES.  We think it will be a valuable resource both for the current efforts to come in compliance with CURES and beyond.”

Some of the considerations discussed in this paper include:

• Setting goals and defining system requirements;
• Ensuring robust stakeholder engagement;
• Addressing the unique concerns of participants with disabilities;
• Developing an implementation plan;
• Performing a readiness review;
• Utilizing a soft launch strategy;
• Maintaining openness to new and updated technology; and
• Using EVV to promote quality improvement.