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State readies electronic visit verification by Dec. 4 ahead of CMS deadline; Authenticare chosen as vendor
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Summary
DHS told the committee it selected Fiserv/AuthenticCare for Electronic Visit Verification required by the Support Act; Authenticare is free for providers, pilot testing is underway, and a landline IVR option exists for providers and clients without smartphones.
The Department of Human Services briefed the committee on Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), a federal requirement implemented under the SUPPORT Act. Elizabeth Pittman, deputy director with the division of medical services, said Arkansas selected Fiserv’s Authenticare as its EVV vendor, launched a pilot on Oct. 23 and planned to go live Dec. 4 to meet CMS operational readiness review expectations.
Pittman summarized what EVV requires: six datasets for each in‑home visit (type of service, client, date, location, worker identity, start/end time). Initially the requirement applies to personal care, attendant care and respite; home health services are phased in by January 1, 2023. Authenticare is available free to providers; providers who choose third‑party EVV systems bear those costs, and DHS said it factored potential costs into upcoming rate reviews for personal care services. A low‑cost IVR (landline) option is available for clients without smartphones; Pittman said the Authenticare app will also store check‑in data offline and synchronize when a worker regains connectivity.
DHS reported roughly 11,900 direct service workers enrolled as of the presentation and said it has trained pilot providers and will continue outreach; the agency plans increased daily support calls during the initial rollout. Committee members raised funding questions: the Authenticare system itself is free, but providers that use third‑party vendors or buy smartphones may incur costs; Pittman said DHS accounted for that in the rate review. Members also asked about signal limitations in remote areas; DHS said the app caches enrollments offline and uploads when a worker regains service.
Why this matters: EVV is a federal mandate and noncompliance risks federal funding penalties; DHS emphasized training, vendor support and multiple entry options (app, IVR, third‑party integration) to ease providers’ transition.
Next steps: DHS will continue training through early December, coordinate with CMS for the operational readiness review, publish provider support materials and share the vendor contract cost details with committee members on request.
