Provider Alert! HHSC Electronic Visit Verification Temporary EVV Policies for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Attention: LTSS Providers
Effective Date: November 24, 2020   

The content in this message will remain in effect through the public health emergency period, extended to December 31, 2020, as announced by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department.
TCHP COVID-19 Utilization Management Procedure and TCHP provider alerts can be found here: http://www.thecheckup.org/provider-alerts/

TCHP network providers should monitor the TCHP Provider Portal regularly for alerts and updates associated to the COVID-19 event.  TCHP reserves the right to update and/or change this information without prior notice due to the evolving nature of the COVID-19 event.

Call to action: In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), HHSC has issued temporary EVV policies effective March 21, 2020 through December 31, 2020 as announced by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department. HHSC will not extend the temporary policies after December 31, 2020.

How this impacts providers: The temporary EVV policies provide important updates regarding the following topics:

• Use of the EVV System
• EVV Visit Maintenance Completion Timeframe
• EVV Claims Matching
• Billing Prior to Completing Visit Maintenance
• New EVV Reason Code Description for COVID-19
• Free Text Requirements and;
• EVV Compliance

Please note for dates of service beginning on Jan. 1, 2021, EVV claims matching with denials will resume, and claims will no longer receive an EVV07 match code in the EVV Portal.

Program providers:

• Must ensure a matching EVV visit transaction is accepted in the EVV Portal before billing the claim, or the claim will be denied.
• Will no longer have 180 days to complete visit maintenance.
• Should continue to follow the Best Practices for Temporary Policies for COVID-19 to avoid recoupments for claims with dates of service from March 21, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020.

Next steps for providers: Review the HHSC Electronic Visit Verification Temporary EVV Policies created in response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Please reference the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) website below for details:

https://hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/provider-portal/resources/electronic-visit-verification/temporary-evv-policies-for-novel-coronavirus.pdf

HHSC will continue to monitor the impacts of COVID-19 as it relates to EVV and will provide further guidance, if needed.

If you have any questions, please email Provider Network Management at: providerrelations@texaschildrens.org.

For access to all provider alerts, log into:
www.thecheckup.org or www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/for-providers.