Date: February 6, 2026
Attention: Program Providers, Financial Management Services Agency (FMSAs) Providers and Consumer Directed Services (CDS) Employers
Call to action: Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) is notifying providers that Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) Usage/Landline/Alternative Device Reviews will begin March 2026. These reviews will evaluate EVV usage from Q1 (September – November 2025) in accordance with the Texas Health and Human Services EVV Policy Handbook and the Uniform Managed Care Manual (UMCM) 8.71.1.
Texas Children’s Health Plan (TCHP) is sending this communication with an important update regarding Providers who fall below the minimum 80% EVV Usage Score in a state fiscal year quarter will be identified for follow‑up.
What You Need to Know About EVV Requirements
To meet compliance standards, your CDS employee must use an approved clock-in and
clock-out method (landline, mobile application, or alternative device). Using these approved methods raises your EVV Usage Score, while manually entering visits into the EVV system will lower your score.
When the service provider or CDS employee clocks in and clocks out using an HHSC-approved method, the EVV system captures the following visit data:
- Service authorization, including the type of service provided
- Member data, including the name of the member who received the services
- Date and times the provider began and ended the service delivery visit
- Location, including the address, where the service is provided
- Name of the service provider who delivered the service
Current Status – No Enforcement at This Time
We want to assure you that TCHP is not currently enforcing EVV Usage Compliance penalties or taking any adverse actions related to non-compliance at this time. This notice is informational only and intended to help providers prepare.
Looking Ahead – Compliance Enforcement Beginning Next Quarter
Starting March 2026, TCHP will:
- Resume monitoring of the EVV Usage Reviews based on State fiscal year (September – November 2025)
- TCHP will begin issuing formal notices of non-compliance to CDS employers whose EVV Usage Score falls below the minimum score of 80%
- Begin enforcement actions when required
The enforcement actions range from complete training, Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to removal from the CDS option. Please review 11000 EVV, Usage Reviews as per the Policy Handbook for additional information.
Next Steps
We encourage you to:
- Review your current EVV usage practices with your Program Provider as per the EVV Policy Handbook
- Contact TCHP if you need training or technical assistance
- Prepare for compliance monitoring to resume next quarter
Resources to Help You
For detailed guidance on EVV compliance requirements, please review:
Questions?
If you have questions about EVV requirements, approved methods, or how to improve your EVV Usage Score, please contact us at evvgroup@texaschildrens.org. Our team is here to help ensure you have the resources and information needed for successful compliance.
Thank you for your continued partnership and commitment to providing quality care.
If you have any questions, please email evvgroup@texaschildrens.org.
For access to all provider alerts: www.texaschildrenshealthplan.org/provideralerts
