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EVV Requirements for Ohio Medicaid Postponed to January 2025

Client Alert

Recently, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced that it is pushing back the effective date of changes to the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) claims adjudication process to January 1, 2025. Previously, the EVV requirements were set to go into effect on October 1, 2024.

The ODM initiated its EVV program in 2018 to comply with the Federal 21st Century Cures Act, which required all state Medicaid programs to implement an EVV system to verify personal care services by January 1, 2020, and home health services, by January 1, 2023. 

EVV is an electronic system for providers to capture patient visit data and to more accurately bill ODM for home visits. In Ohio, EVV is specifically required for providers who participate in the following ODM programs:

  1. Ohio Home Care Waiver
  2. MyCare Ohio Waiver
  3. PASSPORT Waiver
  4. Individual Options Waiver
  5. SELF Waiver

The EVV system requires home health providers to enter five important data elements during eligible visits: 

  1. Who receives the service
  2. Who provides the service
  3. What service is provided
  4. Where the service is provided
  5. The date and time the service begins and ends.

Providers have three ways to capture the visit data: via a mobile app; dedicated phone line (i.e., telephony); or manual entry on a computer into the system. However, ODM only permits manual visit entry when a device app or telephony is not available or appropriate for the member’s needs.

If you have any questions regarding the EVV system and/or requirements, please contact BMD Healthcare Member Daphne Kackloudis at dlkackloudis@bmdllc.com  or Attorney Jordan Burdick at jaburdick@bmdllc.com.


New Federal Medical Conscience Rule and Its Implications

The Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights issued a Final Rule to clarify protections for healthcare providers who refuse services based on religious or moral beliefs. This includes protection against discrimination for refusing procedures like assisted suicide or abortion. The OCR can receive complaints, conduct investigations, and enforce these protections. Entities are encouraged to update policies accordingly and display a model notice provided by the OCR.

Marijuana Reclassification and APRN/PA Prescribing

Marijuana is expected to be reclassified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance as a result of efforts by the Biden administration.

Federal Trade Commission Voids Non-Compete Agreements Nationwide

On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued its Final Rule containing regulations impacting non-compete agreements across the country for all employees. The Final Rule implements some of the most impactful changes to employment law during this century. The Final Rule will take effect 120 days from its publication in the Federal Register, which we expect to occur within the next few weeks.

Department of Labor Finalizes Rule with Substantial Salary Increases for White-Collar Overtime Exemptions

On April 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a final rule that will significantly impact overtime eligibility for white-collar employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This rule implements a dramatic increase in the minimum salary level required for an employee to be exempt under the FLSA’s administrative, executive, and professional exemptions (the so-called “white collar exemptions”) as well as the FLSA’s highly compensated employee exemption.

Chemical Dependency Professionals Board Rule Changes: Part 2

New rule changes for Certification of Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistants (CDCA)