Running a Missouri Medicaid home care agency isn’t for the faint of heart. Between EMOMED, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), EVV rules, and changing authorization policies, most agencies feel like they’re navigating a moving target.
But some agencies are thriving. They're reducing denials, staying audit-ready, and freeing up staff time instead of chasing paperwork. What do they know that others don’t?
Below are seven practical best practices from top Missouri providers that keep operations compliant, efficient, and profitable.
1. Connect EVV and billing workflows
Missouri only pays claims that exist in Sandata.
Even if your billing system shows the visit as approved, it must be validated in Sandata or it will not pay.
Winning agencies:
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Ensure visits flow into Sandata with the correct codes and units
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Validate Sandata status before submitting claims
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Avoid manual closing and re-keying tasks
If you’re still downloading CSVs or typing in exception codes by hand, that’s not integration - that’s unpaid overtime and error risk.
2. Automate authorization syncing and tracking
Missouri used to authorize services assuming 31 days every month.
Now authorizations match the actual number of days in the month.
This means:
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February authorizations are smaller
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30-day vs 31-day months matter
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You must monitor authorized units more closely
Top agencies automate:
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Real-time tracking of units used and remaining
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Alerts when clients approach limits
This prevents under-utilization and avoids surprise denials.
3. Automatically Transition from CDS to ILW
The rules say that you need to use all of your CDS units first before transitioning to ILW.
High-performing agencies make this happen automatically.
They use:
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A link between their CDS and ILW authorization
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Automatically splitting the visit on the day when their CDS runs out and ILW starts
The result: Eliminates the manual splitting that most agencies do
4. Make clock-ins smarter, not harder
For clients receiving multiple in-home services in one visit (e.g., personal care + respite services), the cleanest approach is one EVV clock-in/out and automated service splitting.
Benefits include:
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Visits are split on the back end, following the schedule
- Tasks and EVV attribution are assigned to the appropriate service (automatically)
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Reduced visit rejections for overlapping punches or missing tasks
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Cleaner EVV data and faster payroll/billing
It’s compliant and protects staff time and client satisfaction.
5. Track accrued minutes automatically
Missouri only pays for completed 15-minute units, but leftover minutes don’t vanish — they accumulate.
Smart agencies:
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Track minutes at the client and caregiver level
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Automatically convert accrued minutes into billable units
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Prevent losing reimbursable time
Accurate minute tracking protects revenue and avoids overbilling.
6. Bill MCOs, eMOMED, and other payers from one workflow
Missouri agencies often bill:
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eMOMED
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Multiple MCOs like Healthy Blue and Home State
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VA programs
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Private pay
Each payer has its own codes, rate rules, and modifiers.
Agencies that succeed establish relationships with all of the payers, but run one billing workflow across all payers, not separate processes.
This reduces:
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Duplicate entry
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Configuration mistakes
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Processing time and denials
More payers + One process = cleaner claims and more cash flow.
7. Monitor visit approvals like a detective
Submitting files isn’t the finish line — it’s the midpoint.
Top agencies:
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Detect EVV errors before submitting to Sandata
- Allow you to apply codes to many visits at once (powered by AI)
- Prevent almost all EVV rejections proactively
Fixing issues upstream means you don’t chase denials downstream.
Final Takeaway
Missouri Medicaid requirements aren’t getting simpler, but your operations can.
By investing in:
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Clean EVV-to-billing workflows
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Automated authorization and unit monitoring
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Unified payer billing
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Proactive visit validation
Agencies gain time, reduce compliance stress, and get paid for every earned unit.
Want to see how these practices look in action? Download our free guide with workflows, checklists, and examples you can use today:
👉 Download the Missouri Medicaid Best Practices Guide
Ankota's mission is to enable the Heroes who keep older and disabled people living at home to focus on care because we take care of the tech. If you need software for home care, EVV, I/DD Services, Self-Direction FMS, Adult Day Care centers, or Caregiver Recruiting, please Contact Ankota.
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