Electronic Visit Verification (EVV)

The 21st Century CURES Act, signed into law in 2016, requires that States set up an EVV system to verify that services for all Medicaid-funded personal care and home health care services occurred. Under the Act, an EVV system must electronically verify the following service components:

• • 1. Type of service performed;
    2. Individual receiving the service;
    3. Date of the service;
    4. Location of service delivery;
    5. Individual providing the services; and
    6. Time the service begins and ends.

The new requirements for EVV will not change where and how these services are delivered. All states must implement EVV for personal care services by January 2020 and home health care services by January 2023. In accordance with federal provisions, the State submitted a Good Faith Effort Exemption (GFE) request on October 2, 2019 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to extend the EVV implementation date for personal care services to January 2021. On October 22, 2019, CMS approved the State’s GFE request for personal care services, and will not apply Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) reductions in calendar year 2020. More information on California’s GFE approval letter from CMS is available on the DHCS EVV Webpage.

The state implemented an EVV system available to personal care service providers to collect and report their EVV data on January 1, 2022. The system, called CalEVV, will be available to home health care providers by January 1, 2023.

Updates on the implementation of the EVV program will be posted to this page as they become available.

Electronic visit verification (EVV) does not change how your services are provided, where you receive services, or who provides them to you. EVV is part of new federal law that requires staff who provide personal care and home healthcare services to electronically report six (6) items to make sure you’re getting the services you need. The six items are: the time staff arrives, the time they leave, where they are, who they are, who they’re working with for the visit, and what service they’re providing.

Some of your staff will use a cell phone, a landline phone or other ways to electronically document these 6 items for EVV. Some of your staff do not need to report with EVV; for example, a live-in caregiver. A staff person is considered a ‘Live-in Caregiver’ if they regularly are in your house for more than 24 hours at a time, and they are available to provide your services during the time they are in your home. More information about live-in caregivers can be found in a guidance linked here.

If you have questions or concerns about EVV, you can email EVV@dds.ca.gov.

This tab is intended to walk all providers through steps needed to complete CalEVV on-boarding.  You can also download this step by step walk-through from this link: Step by Step On-Boarding (Updated February 2022) PDF

• EVV FAQs – Updated November 2021
• Preguntas Frecuentes Sobre la EVV SPANISH

All providers of personal care services are currently self-registering, going through training and recording EVV data. Personal care services are Respite (codes 465, 862, 864), Supported Living Services (code 896), Homemaker Services (codes 858, 860) and Personal Assistance (code 062).

• • 1. Through self-registration, you’ll indicate your intent to use the CalEVV state-provided system or an Alternate EVV system to collect your EVV data.
       • For more information about the CalEVV system, click the recorded demonstration, or transcript of the demonstration below:
         • CalEVV Recording
         • CalEVV Transcript PDF
    2. All providers must self-register as a provider of personal care services (PCS) in the self-registration portal regardless if you’re using CalEVV or an Alternate EVV system. Click the following link to self-register: Self-Registration Link
       • For help with self-registration, refer to the “Help” option on the left-hand side of the self-registration screen and/or use this quick reference guide: Quick Reference Guide for Self-Registration (Updated February 2022) PDF
    3. After completing self-registration, you will receive a self-registration confirmation and a CalEVV Identifier Number. Retain this number to access training and CalEVV systems.
       • If you’re using an Alternate EVV solution, go to step 4.
       • If you’re using the CalEVV solution, go to step 5.
    4. If you are using an Alternate EVV solution system:
       • Work with your Alternate EVV solution, as needed, so that they successfully complete testing with Sandata Technologies, LLC to send EVV data to the CalEVV Aggregator.
       • Once testing between your Alternate EVV solution and Sandata are complete, you will receive a link from the California Alternate EVV customer support team allowing you to access your data in the CalEVV Aggregator.
       • For technical questions or issues regarding the Alternate EVV certification process, contact the Alternate EVV customer support via email at CAAltEVV@sandata.com or by phone at  855-943-6069
    5. If you are using CalEVV to collect your EVV data, about 48 hours after you’ve completed self-registration you will receive an email with a link to access the initial overview and security training for the administrator, or initial contact person, to complete.
       • After completing the initial overview and security trainings, you will be able to view and download a certificate from the training page verifying your completion.
       • About 48 hours after you have access to that certificate, you will receive another email with additional trainings for you and your staff as well as your Welcome Kit.
         • Additional Training: Office staff using the CalEVV system and staff/DSPs can view recorded webinars on various topics. [Link to recordings coming soon]
         • Welcome Kit: Includes helpful tools staff/DSPs and system log-in information for office staff to  get started in the CalEVV system.
       • Trainings will help you to take the next steps of:
         • • Setting up additional office staff as administrators or other roles.
           • Adding consumers/clients and employees/staff/DSP records to the system.
           • Recording EVV data during service visits.

Technical questions for providers using CalEVV can be directed to:

• Email: CACustomerCare@sandata.com
• Phone: 855-943-6070

• EVV Alternate Vendor Specifications on Sandata Website
• EVV Alternate Vendor Specifications-User Guide on Sandata Website
• Contact email and phone number for technical questions:
  • Email: CAAltEVV@sandata.com
  • Phone: 855-943-6069

• February 3, 2022: Guidance regarding Self-Registration Date
• January 28, 2022: Guidance regarding Live-In Caregiver Exemption
  • Live-In Caregiver Provider Attestation Form

• Frequently Asked Questions – Updated Nov. 2021 – English | Español
• EVV Newsletters
• CalEVV System Training NEW – Below are two quick reference guides to access recorded training sessions hosted by Sandata Technologies on various topics. Each recording is less than 20 minutes and includes transcripts and closed captions. Each recording can be found in English-ASL, English and Spanish.
• How to access the training:
  • If you are a provider agency follow this quick reference guide PDF
  • If you are a direct support professional (DSP)/caregiver/staff, follow this quick reference guide PDF
• If you have any trouble accessing the trainings, please contact Customer Care at CACustomerCare@Sandata.com or (855) 943-6070 for technical assistance.