MDH addresses concerns following change to caregiver payment system

MARYLAND – The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) is answering questions about changes to its payment system for certain caregivers. This comes after concerns were raised over a change made on January 1st, 2023.

Promising Payment

Participants in MDH’s Developmental Disabilities Administration’s (DDA) self-directed individual program worried that they would not be compensated for their hours because of difficulty accessing its electronic visit verification (EVV) system.

MDH sent out a press release Thursday, reassuring program participants they would receive payment.

“Employees will continue to be paid as appropriate for services provided. No one will lose the opportunity to self-direct their services if employees do not correctly clock-in or clock-out as we transition to using the EVV system,” the release said.

Accessing The System

Each Financial Management and Counseling Services (FMCS) agency will ensure time is correctly entered into the system before they make the payroll for January 9th, 2023. FMCS agencies are responsible for overseeing payment for self-directed individuals’ caregivers.

MDH says participants or employees in The Arc Central Chesapeake Region who have been unable to access The Arc’s EVVie system may submit paper timesheets. This was a request previously made by the Self-Directed Advocacy Network of Maryland.

However, MDH says submitting multiple timesheets for the same period of time and employee could delay processing. Timesheets due on January 9th will be paid out on January 20th, and timesheets due on January 23d will be fulfilled on February 3rd. MDH says at this point, participants can use the paper timesheets for those pay periods only.

Program participants supported by GT Independence and Public Partnerships LLC are advised to contact their customer service for assistance.

No Penalties Until June

Self-directed individual program participants told 47 ABC WMDT that they were also concerned they would be penalized if they were not able to use the EVVie system.

MDH says between January 1st, 2023 and June 30th, 2023, no action will be taken against participants, as long as they continue to work with their FMCS agency to learn the system. FMCS agencies are expected to reach out to participants directly if they do not use EVV, or use it incorrectly.

“We encourage every participant to use the system and learn from their mistakes,” said the release.

FCMS Assistance

MDH says FMCS agencies are responsible for ensuring the EVV application works correctly. FCMS agencies are also tasked with providing training and assistance to program participants. If participants have not received information on how to use the system, they are advised to contact their FCMS agency.

Program participants can change their FMCS agency at any time. MDH says they should contact their Coordinator of Community Services for assistance with that process.

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