Provider Alert! EVV HHAeXchange: Transition and Updates for Alternative Devices
Date: October 2, 2023
Attention: STAR Kids Providers/Consumer Directed Services employers, and FMSA Providers
Effective Date: October 1, 2023
Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) would like to let providers know that as part of the transition to the new, single and state-funded EVV system, the HHAeXchange Portal, Texas Human Services Commission (HHSC) has posted important dates, steps and information that impacts providers. Please see the details below or view the attachment from HHSC, EVV Transition: You Must Take Action Now!
Effective Dates for Using the HHAeXchange Portal
Providers must begin using the HHAeXchange Portal on Oct. 1, if they received HHAeXchange system credentials and completed required trainings by Sept. 22.
All others must complete their HHAeXchange onboarding as soon as possible to begin using the HHAeXchange Portal on Nov. 1 and continue using their current EVV system to record visits.
Please note that program providers and FMSAs who are not an approved PSO and do not complete onboarding to begin using the HHAeXchange Portal on Nov. 1 will automatically be transitioned to HHAeXchange from their current EVV vendor system (DataLogic/Vesta or First Data/AuthentiCare). They must take action now by completing the HHAeXchange onboarding:
- Submit the HHAeXchange Provider Onboarding Form.
- Complete HHAeXchange Learning Management System (LMS) training.
- HHAeXchange will issue user credentials for their LMS portal within three business days of submission of the HHAeXchange Provider Onboarding Form.
HHAeXchange will issue system user credentials for the HHAeXchange Portal after the program provider or FMSA has completed EVV system training on the HHAeXchange LMS training portal. Please allow 5 business days to receive login credentials.
Program providers and FMSAs who will be new to EVV, due to the Cures Act Home Health Care Services implementation, must submit the HHAeXchange Provider Onboarding Form by Oct. 31. However, it’s recommended to complete the form as soon as possible to be able to practice using EVV before the Jan. 1, 2024, implementation.
EVV Claims Matching Bypass – Oct. 1 – Dec. 31
EVV Policy states that all EVV claims for services required to use EVV must match to an accepted EVV visit transaction in the EVV Aggregator (the state’s centralized EVV database) before reimbursement of an EVV claim by the payer.
To help providers throughout the HHAeXchange transition, HHSC will bypass EVV claims matching for dates of service Oct. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2023. This means payers will not deny EVV claims that do not have a matching EVV visit for these dates of service.
During this period, program providers, FMSAs and Consumer Directed Services (CDS) employers and service providers must use the EVV system to record visits, including manual visits. Failure to use the EVV system to record visits may result in recoupments.
EVV Compliance Grace Period for Personal Care Services Has Extended to May 31, 2024
HHSC has extended the compliance reviews grace period for EVV Usage and EVV Landline Phone Verification reviews for personal care services. The extended grace period is from July 1, 2023, through May 31, 2024.
The additional time will allow for program providers and FMSAs, who are onboarding with HHAeXchange or as a Proprietary System Operator (PSO), to focus on transitioning efforts.
Payers will continue to conduct EVV compliance reviews and send compliance notifications, however, HHSC and managed care organizations (MCOs) will not take enforcement actions against program providers, FMSAs or CDS employers who do not meet the compliance requirements during the grace period.
Data Transfer from Current EVV Vendor Systems (Vesta and AuthentiCare)
HHAeXchange is receiving and uploading daily data (historical visit and profile data) from current EVV vendor systems, DataLogic Vesta and First Data AuthentiCare, into the HHAeXchange Provider Portal.
Although imported data may continue to load, providers may manually enter or update data directly in the HHAeXchange Provider Portal. This will not overwrite data that attempts to be imported from Vesta or AuthentiCare. Some values can be updated if it contains inaccurate data.
HHAeXchange is importing the following historical data:
- Up to five years data of:
- Members
- CDS Employers
- Service Providers/CDS Employees
- Authorizations
- Up to one year of Accepted Visits – visit data is loaded oldest to newest, starting with October 2022
The following items will not be imported and must be entered manually:
- Visit Schedules
- Pending, New and Rejected Visits
- Billing Dx Code
- Portal Users
- Services Portal Users
Complete Visit Maintenance before Dec. 22
Program providers, FMSAs and CDS employers must complete all required visit maintenance (manual, pending or rejected visits) within 95 days from the date of service delivery.
By Dec. 22, users of DataLogic Vesta and First Data AuthentiCare must complete visit maintenance for visits captured in those systems. This includes submitting Visit Maintenance Unlock Requests (VMURs). Providers must act now before losing access.
Visit maintenance for visits captured in the HHAeXchange Portal will be completed in the HHAeXchange Portal or will require a VMUR, if applicable.
HHAeXchange Technical Support
For questions about HHAeXchange onboarding, technical help with using the HHAeXchange Portal or issues related to data, contact HHAeXchange at TXsupport@hhaexchange.com or by phone at 1-833-430-1307.
For general questions about EVV, such as policy questions, providers should contact their payer.
EVV Alternative Device Policy
Effective October 1, 2023, HHSC amended The EVV Policy Handbook, Section 7040, Alternative Device. HHSC is reducing the use of alternative devices to modernize the EVV program, increase program integrity, and reduce state EVV contract costs. The changes help to alignment Texas with national EVV practices while still maintaining limited alternative devices for exceptional circumstances.
HHSC posted the updated Alternative Device Policy. The policy includes the following information:
- Limitations on the Number of Alternative Devices Available to program providers and FMSAs from the State provided EVV System Vendor
- Ordering Alternative Devices from the State Provided EVV System Vendor
- Purchasing additional alternative devices from the state provided EVV system vendor.
- Member qualifications for receiving an alternative device
- Installing Alternative Devices
- Malfunctioning Alternative Devices
- Return of Alternative Devices
- Phase Out of Alternative Devices
You can find details regarding HHAeXchange on the HHAeXchange Texas website.
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.
