Provider Alert! Variable Schedules Available in EVV Vendor Systems

Date: December 20, 2022

Attention: STAR Kids Providers/Consumer Directed Services employers, and FMSA Providers

Providers should monitor the Texas Children’s Health Plan (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:

Background information: S.B. No. 1648 requires HHSC to allow a health care provider to enter a variable schedule into the electronic visit verification system. HHSC EVV Operations released the variable schedule functionality in August 2022 for the EVV vendor systems (Vesta and AuthentiCare). Detailed information about schedules, schedule types, and the new functionality are in The EVV Policy Handbook sections 4600 Schedules and 4610 Schedule Types.

How this impacts providers: Key Details:

EVV vendor systems allow program providers and FMSAs to select from three schedule types or use no schedule at all:

• Daily Fixed Schedules track if service delivery occurs on a specific date, for a specific duration, at a specific time. If service delivery deviates from the schedule, the visit will not auto-verify.
• Daily Variable Schedules track if service delivery occurs on a specific date, for a specific duration. If service delivery deviates from the schedule, the visit will not auto-verify.
• Weekly Variable Schedules track if service delivery occurs within a specific week and within a total number of scheduled hours for the week. Visits can occur on any day of the week, at any time, for any duration. Any visits that exceed the total scheduled hours for the week will not auto-verify.

Next steps for providers: Providers should share this communication with their staff.

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

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