MassHealth Long-Term Services and Support ("LTSS") Support Guide

Purpose 

The objective of this guide is to enable MassHealth LTSS to support providers in their onboarding and implementation process of Sandata Electronic Visit Verification ("EVV") whether they are using the State-sponsored EVV solution or an alternate vendor, also known as an Alt-EVV Vendor. 

21st Century Cures Act (2016) 

The 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) included legislation to limit fraud, waste, and abuse by requiring providers using Medicaid funds to provide services to clients to use EVV. This is meant to protect the most vulnerable populations to ensure they are receiving the care they deserve. The Cures Act requires employees to check into their visits electronically using EVV. There are six data elements required for a Cures compliant visit. The six data elements are:  

• the date of the visit
• call in time
• call out time
• service provided
• name of the Employee providing the service
• name of the client or member receiving services

PIDSL (Medicaid ID in Sandata System) 

Included in the Ready Set Go Checklist on Sandata On-Demand (see Sandata Resources), the following information is directed towards providers:  

If you don't already have it, get your Provider ID and Service Location ("PIDSL") number at one of these two locations: 

• MassHealth Provider Portal, located under "my account" 

• Provider Online Service Center virtual gateway, found under Billing Service and the Billing Provider ID drop down menu 

Onboarding Process 

The onboarding process for providers using the State-sponsored EVV solution, Sandata EVV, and those who are using an Alt-EVV Vendor have similar beginnings.  

Provider Registration Portal 

Each provider agency should assign a single primary user for Sandata EVV. This person serves as the provider agency administrator and handles adding other staff to the EVV account.  

The provider agency administrator completes Sandata EVV registration through the Provider Self-Registration Portal. They must use the same email address used for their MyMassGov account. Failure to use the same email address will prevent a user from logging into the Sandata EVV system or Sandata Aggregator for those using an Alt-EVV Vendor. In the case of Independent Providers, or Nonagency Providers, they need to register with their PIDSL. If providers have more than one PIDSL they will need to register each one in the Provider Self-Registration Portal. The Provider Self-Registration Portal will ask for their Medicaid ID. Providers have been informed through communications and the Sandata Town Halls to use their PIDSL in that field.  

Training 

Once a provider agency administrator has registered with Sandata, they will receive an email containing information about their Zendesk account, which will be used to log in to Sandata On-Demand (see Sandata Resources for more information), and a link to register and create an account in Sandata Learn. Sandata Learn is Sandata's Learning Management System ("LMS") and houses the self-paced courses and the ability to sign up for Instructor-Led training. Instructor-led training will be available during the go-live for the MA-EOHHS EVV program implementation. Note: In the case of Independent Providers, the Independent Provider is the person who will take part in all trainings. Sandata Learn links should be shared with providers. Sandata Learn has proprietary and confidential information in its courses and is not intended for use by LTSS support.  

Agency Administrators must complete the EVV Agency Admin Overview course which instructs them how to add users and manage user roles in Sandata EVV. 

Alt-EVV providers may choose to take advantage of the Sandata Aggregator course in Sandata Learn which provides an overview of the Aggregator.  

Agency Admins are encouraged to pass along the Sandata Learn link to their office staff to complete self-paced training or instructor-led training (if available).  

 

Employees, known as Caregivers in the Sandata system, are trained by Agency Trainers using the Caregiver Library on Sandata On-Demand or the Employee Training Toolkit provided in the Payer Program tile for MA-EOHHS.  

Welcome Kit Letter and System Access 

Within 48 hours of completion of the required online course, or after the go-live launch date, the Sandata EVV Agency Administrator will receive a secure email link that will provide access to the Welcome Kit materials. The email link will expire within 10 days of receipt, so it is essential they use the link right away.  

EOHHS’s Welcome Kit consists of the following artifacts: 

• Welcome Letter. This letter welcomes the provider agency to Sandata and provides critical information on the Single Sign-On ("SSO") process, account information, and training information for office staff.  

Alt-EVV Provider Agency 

A provider using an Alt-EVV Vendor will register in the Provider Registration Portal and take training through Sandata Learn. However, once they have registered, they need to be sure their vendor registers in the Vendor Self-Registration Portal so they can complete testing and get production credentials. For Alt-EVV vendors, all parts of the testing process are done through the portal. Alternate EVV Testing Specifications are available on Sandata On-Demand. The provider will be notified once the Alternate EVV vendor has successfully completed testing and receives their production credentials. 

Sandata EVV Portal 

The Sandata EVV Portal has multiple modules for aiding users in capturing and managing their visit data. These modules are:  

• Clients
• Employees
• Scheduling
• Visit Maintenance
• Reports
• Security

Managing Clients in EVV 

For MA-EOHHS, providers have a few scenarios where clients can be added to Sandata EVV. For Alt-EVV providers, they will need to contact their vendor for support in this process.  

Providers should first search for their clients and activate them by going through the client's profile and changing their status. Sandata covers this in training. Please route any questions providers may have on functionality to Sandata On-Demand and ensure they have completed training through Sandata Learn's self-paced courses or through instructor-led training.  

MA-EOHHS sends two files to Sandata EVV from either Medicaid Management Information System (“MMIS”) or Executive Office of Elder Affairs (“EOEA”).  

Scenario #1:  

A member Medicaid ID is matched to an authorization and is pushed to the provider's client module. They do not need to attempt to create a client and simply need to ensure the client is activated as mentioned above.  

Scenario #2:  

If the provider does not see their client, they may add their client. Sandata EVV matches the Medicaid ID number and the date of birth of the client to the files from MMIS. If there is a match, the file is pulled in. If there isn't, the provider is not able to add the client and may need to check the information to determine if it's correct. 

Scenario #3:  

This is another situation with a manual add. Some clients may have a Consumer ID number and a Medicaid ID number or only a Consumer ID. These are usually EOEA members. 

Sandata will match files with Consumer ID and date of birth from EOEA. If a provider enters a Medicaid ID and a Consumer ID with the date of birth, the Medicaid ID will essentially be 'ignored' by the system.  

These scenarios in rare cases may result in duplicate client profiles with Medicaid IDs and Consumer IDs. It is extremely important providers review client information before scheduling visits and when maintaining visit data in EVV.  

Single Sign-On for Sandata EVV 

For the MA-EOHHS implementation of EVV, providers will be using Single Sign-On, or SSO, to access Sandata EVV and Aggregator. This process is outlined in the Welcome Letter provided to Agency Administrators as well as in training and the Ready, Set, Go Checklist listed in the resource section of this document.  

User Request Form  

Providers should first go to the User Request Forms page on Mass.gov's website to access their User Request Form.  

 

Providers follow the directions in the form and send it to the email address listed.  

The email addresses provided in the URF MUST be the same as those the Agency Administrator uses in the Provider Self-Registration Portal and those used when creating users in Sandata EVV. 

Note: Each individual with a provider agency who will be using Sandata EVV (Sandata’s administration and visit management portal) must have their own MyMassGov account. The provider agency administrator can submit all administrator and coordinator staff who will need access on the same URF, using the second page of the form. This is not required for employees using Sandata’s mobile device application, Sandata Mobile Connect.  

Note: Provider Agencies should not complete the Org Name or Org ID fields on the URF. 

The process is as follows:  

1. The Provider Agency completes the Agency-based Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) System and Data Aggregator User Request Form (URF) (see User Request Form). 

2. Once the Virtual Gateway team has received the URF, they will create the user account and the Sandata EVV and Aggregator tile.  

3. If a user does not have a MyMassGov ID, an email is sent to those on the URF with a link to the Virtual Gateway landing page, Mass.gov account creation, and Multifactor Authentication ("MFA") set up instructions. 

 
 

4. To create their account, users must go to Business Log In on the Virtual Gateway page. 

 

5. Then, users will select Create an Account to create their MyMassGov account and complete the MFA process.  

 

6. Entering the same email address that was provided in the URF, the user will select Send Verification Code. 

 

7. After entering the verification code sent in an email, users will enter in their first and last name as entered on the URF and then create their password based on the rules provided. 

 

8. User will then set up the required MFA using their preferred method: Authenticator App, Phone (Voice and Text Message), or Secondary Phone (Voice and Text Message).  

9. Once setup is complete, users will be able to log in and access the Applications page to select Sandata EVV and Aggregator. Both providers using the State-sponsored EVV solution and those using an Alt-EVV vendor will use this tile to access Sandata EVV or Aggregator. 

 

Customer Support Contacts 

It is imperative that providers are directed to the correct resources when they reach out for support.  

MA-EOHHS EVV Support 

For providers with questions on EVV policy, please visit the MA-EOHHS EVV website for information or send questions to [e-mail].  

Sandata Customer Support Contacts 

If a provider needs help with Sandata EVV, contact Customer Support through Submit a Request at Sandata On-Demand.  

Providers may also call the Customer Support line at 833.511.0164. Please be aware of higher call volume during the go-live period. 

Virtual Gateway Customer Service 

If a provider is having issues with logging in to Sandata EVV, first make sure the emails entered in the URF are the same as what is entered in Sandata EVV or, in the case of the Agency Administrator, the Provider Self-Registration Portal. If the emails are different on the Sandata end, the provider should reach out to Sandata Customer Support.  

If a provider is having issues logging in to the Virtual Gateway or accessing their MyMassGov account, reach out to the Virtual Gateway Customer Service team at 800.421.0938 or 617.847.6578 (TTY for deaf and hard of hearing).   

Sandata Resources 

Providers should be directed towards Sandata training and resources when there is not a technical issue with using the system. Sandata offers a robust selection of videos, articles, courses, and tools for providers to use.  

Sandata On-Demand 

Sandata On-Demand is a searchable, information-rich tool that provides customers with start-up tips, answers to FAQs, training videos, state website links, product user guides, and so much more.is a searchable, information-rich tool that provides customers with start-up tips, answers to FAQs, training videos, state website links, product user guides, and so much more. 

In addition, customers can quickly and easily send and review support requests and post product feedback and suggestions in the Sandata Collaborative Community. Many of the Product Help resources are protected and will require a provider to create an account in Sandata On-Demand to access. The below link will help to get them started. The remainder of the resources listed below are not protected and are accessible to the public, including LTSS support. 

Getting started with Sandata On-Demand is easy.  

Users can get updates on articles by selecting the “Follow” button in an article. When an article is updated, the user will receive an email notification. This is a great way to keep up with feature changes and updates in Sandata EVV or State-specific resources. 

 

Direct links to easy-to-use tools for providers:  

1.) Ready, Set, Go Checklist: This tool is for providers to use before, during, and after launch day. It contains direct links to many of the resources below.  

2.) Caregiver Library: Informational videos and articles on how to use Sandata Mobile Connect® (“SMC”), the visit capture tool for Employees.  

3.) Employee Training Toolkit: Using articles from the Caregiver Library, this is a great tool for providers to use to begin training their employees on how to capture visits using the Sandata Mobile Connect app. 

4.) Massachusetts (EOHHS) Payer Program Tile: MA-EOHHS specific materials are housed here and are a great resource for LTSS support staff to access more information about Commonwealth-specific materials.  

5.) Provider Agency Tools: For providers who may need help with understanding how to register in the Sandata Provider Self-Registration Portal, this article includes a video and instructions to help them get started. 

6.) EVV Vendor Technical Specifications: For providers who are using an Alt-EVV vendor, this is where the technical specifications are housed for the Alt-EVV vendors to access. Sandata works with many vendors across the country in other states, so many are used to working with us. For any who haven't, directing them to this resource and the Vendor tools in the same tile on Sandata On-Demand will get them going with registration and testing. 

Sandata Learn 

Sandata Learn is an innovative platform that revolutionizes education and training, including interactive features, personalized learning experiences, and AI-driven content recommendations. 

Sandata Learn offers amazing features, such as: 

• Boosted learning engagement with simulations and knowledge assessments. 

• A sleek, user-friendly interface for effortless navigation and accessibility.  

• Easy functionality to track your progress and performance.  

• A treasure trove of new courses and resources to support all your learning goals. 

• The ability to sign up for instructor-led training with ease. 

For providers looking to register in Sandata Learn to complete training, but not sure how to complete the form or the process, Learner Access to Sandata Learn will help them get started and begin their training journey.