Switching vendors
How to Switch EVV Vendors in Florida
A practical checklist for Florida agencies changing EVV systems: vendor audit, data and caregiver migration, interoperability testing, claims validation and go-live.
Switching Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) platforms is one of the most consequential operational transitions a Florida home health agency can undertake. Because EVV is a statutory prerequisite for Medicaid reimbursement under Florida AHCA guidelines and the 21st Century Cures Act, a botched vendor migration risks frozen cash flow, mismatched caregiver GPS records, and immediate billing rejections.
However, agencies frequently outgrow clunky legacy vendors due to sluggish mobile apps, lack of bilingual support, or non-existent integration between EVV hours and payroll. This step-by-step roadmap guides agency owners through a zero-downtime EVV vendor transition.
🎬 Video Guide & Executive Briefing
1. Audit Your Existing Payer Contracts and Authorizations
Before giving notice to your current software provider, conduct a complete inventory of your active client roster, authorizations, and payer integrations:
- Statewide Medicaid Managed Care (SMMC) Plans: Identify which Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) you serve (e.g., Sunshine Health, Simply Healthcare, Humana Healthy Horizons).
- Prior Authorization Balances: Export authorized hour balances, expiration dates, and Medicaid recipient IDs.
- Provider NPIs & Medicaid IDs: Ensure your 10-digit National Provider Identifier (NPI) and 9-digit Florida Medicaid provider numbers are active in the AHCA portal.
2. Verify Open Vendor Aggregator Integration
Florida operates under an Open Vendor EVV model. This means your agency has the statutory right to choose any EVV software that fits your clinical workflow, provided it transmits verified visit data to the state's designated aggregator (such as HHAeXchange).
Key technical requirements for your new vendor:
- 6 Mandated Cures Act Data Elements: Verified patient, caregiver, date, time, location (200m GPS), and service type.
- Automated EDI / API Integration: Direct electronic transmission of verified visits without manual double-entry.
- Audit Trail Retention: Immutable 7-year timestamp records meeting Florida AHCA survey standards.
3. The 30-Day Transition Timeline
| Phase | Timeline | Core Action Items |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1: Setup & Import | Days 1–10 | Configure agency profile, import patient care plans, map service billing codes (e.g., G0156, T1019), and set caregiver pay rates. |
| Phase 2: Caregiver Rollout | Days 11–20 | Deploy mobile caregiver app to field staff. Conduct 15-minute training on 1-tap GPS clock-ins and voice shift notes. |
| Phase 3: Parallel Run | Days 21–25 | Run 3 to 5 test shifts in parallel to verify 200m GPS geofencing and authorization unit countdowns. |
| Phase 4: Full Cutover | Day 30 | Deactivate old licenses, cut over all active dispatch to Bickle OS, and submit clean 837P claims. |
4. Avoiding Common Vendor Migration Pitfalls
- Never cancel your old vendor before exporting historic audit logs: Florida AHCA surveyors can request visit records from up to 5 years ago. Download full CSV/PDF archives of all historical visits.
- Ensure bilingual staff onboarding: In South and Central Florida, a high percentage of HHAs and CNAs speak Spanish or Haitian Creole. Choose an EVV app with native multilingual interfaces.
- Verify workweek boundary alignment: Ensure your new platform calculates overtime across identical workweek boundaries (e.g., Sunday 00:00 to Saturday 23:59).
Related Florida Compliance Guides
- Florida EVV Requirements for Home Health Agencies
- Florida's Open Vendor EVV Model Explained
- How Florida Agencies Can Reduce EVV-Related Claim Problems
References
- 1.
Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Florida Medicaid Comprehensive Quality Strategy (2023 CQS, Final Draft April 2024). “Electronic Visit Verification – Home Health Services” (pp. 21–22). (2024-04). https://ahca.myflorida.com/content/download/8651/file/2023%20CQS%20Final%20Draft%20April%202024.pdf — Tier 1, verified 2026-10-05
- 2.
HHAeXchange (AHCA's contracted EVV vendor). Florida Information Center. Overview; AHCA Home Health Providers (FFS); Your Agency’s Options. https://www.hhaexchange.com/info-hub/florida — Tier 1, verified 2026-10-05
This publication provides general compliance information for Florida home health agencies and is not formal legal counsel. Always review your agency's contracts and current state policies directly with AHCA and your contracted health plans.