HJAR Jan/Feb 2021

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  JAN / FEB 2021 45 Enrolling Caregivers Arkansas began requiring EVV use for all Medicaid-funded personal care services (PCS) in winter 2020-2021 and is preparing to require EVV use for all Medicaid-funded home healthcare services (HHCS) by Jan. 1, 2023. 1 Arkansas’s EVV system is a require- ment of the federal 21st Century Cures Act that was signed into law Dec. 13, 2016, to ac- celerate medical product development and to offer new innovations and advances to patients’care. 2 States that have not timely met the requirements are subject to incremen- tal Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) reductions up to 1%. 1 All direct caregivers who are employed by agencies that will be using EVV must enroll with Arkansas Medicaid through the Arkansas Medicaid Provider Portal. Enroll- ment withArkansas Medicaid is a mandatory requirement that must be met for agencies to bill Arkansas Medicaid for services provided. Caregivers who apply and successfully pass the background check are provided with a personal identification number (PIN). As of Nov. 20, 2020, there were 12,910 caregivers Kimbra D. Butler, MPH Assistant Director DHS Division of Medical Services enrolled as EVV providers. In addition to sev- eral other enrolled agencies, Palco, a known industry leader in providing financial man- agement services and supporting coordina- tion to individuals in home- and community- based programs through “self-direction,”was the largest enrolled agency, enrolling more than 3,000 caregivers serving as self-directed providers. Preparing through a Pilot To prepare for the full-scale program implementation, DMS launched a pilot that led to a phased roll-out of provider agencies that resulted in a smooth transition from a soft go-live into the successful launch of the program. There were 239 confirmed provid- ers and 15 confirmed EVV vendors reported at the end of November 2020. Training and Support Training is required for all agencies, re- gardless of their chosen EVV vendor, to help ensure the system is useful for providers and delivers higher quality care for clients. Training sessions include an overview, live demonstrations and hands-on operational scenarios. Fiserv uses a “train-the-trainer” model with training provided to adminis- trative staff who then train additional staff within their agencies, including the caregiv- ers who work directly with clients. Agencies that elect to use theAuthentiCare system for EVV must complete trainings that include course material on the IVR system, mobile, reports, web portal and Train-the-Trainer. Agencies who opt to use a third-party vendor are required to complete reporting and web portal training modules. All training must be completed prior to using EVV. All caregivers who offer personal care, attendant care and respite services to Med- icaid clients and need to bill Arkansas Med- icaid should enroll as soon as possible and complete the required training. For infor- mation about the EVV program, provider enrollment and the required EVV training, providers may visit the DHS EVV website at https://medicaid.mmis.arkansas.gov/ general/programs/EvvInfo.aspx or email EVVarkansas@dhs.arkansas.gov for ques- tions. n REFERENCES 1 Medicaid.gov. (2020). Electronic Visit Verifica- tion (EVV). Retrieved from https://www.medicaid. gov/medicaid/home-community-based-services/ guidance/electronic-visit-verification-evv/index. html 2 U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). (2020). 21st Century Cures Act. Retrieved from https:// www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/selected- amendments-fdc-act/21st-century-cures-act Kimbra Butler is a public health professional withmore than a decade of public health experience in state, corporate and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on un- derserved populations and individuals on Medicaid. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas and a Mas- ter of Public Health from Walden University. She is a doctoral candidate in the final stages of earning a PhD in Public Health. In August 2020, Kimbra began serving as the assis- tant director of Medicaid Fee for Service Programs for theArkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Medical Services, overseeing the Policy Analysis Unit, Patient-Centered Medical Home and Primary Care CaseManagement programs, provider enrollment, prior authorization and utilization review, Electronic Visit Verification and rate reviews. E V V enhances quality and accuracy of in-home services and offers a modern way for care providers to record their visits.