Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) in Ohio

All states: EVV requirements map

Ohio EVV at a glance

Last verified against state sources: 2026-10-08.

How does EVV work in Ohio?

Ohio uses an open EVV model. An agency can use the state's Sandata EVV system, which the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) provides at no cost, or it can use an alternate EVV system from a vendor that ODM has certified. Either way, visit data ends up in the Sandata Aggregator, which is what the state and its payers check claims against. Both agency providers and independent providers may use a certified alternate system.

The certified list also notes limits for some vendors. Several are marked as certified for Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) programs only, and one is marked for Department of Aging programs only, so confirm that a vendor is certified for the programs you bill.

Ohio's rule lists these services as subject to EVV:

• State plan services: home health services, private duty nursing, RN assessment and RN consultation.
• Ohio Home Care Waiver, PASSPORT and MyCare waiver services: personal care aide, home care attendant, waiver nursing, choices home care attendant and enhanced community living.
• DODD waiver services billed in 15-minute units, such as homemaker and personal care. Daily rate services and Shared Living do not require EVV today.

Assisted Living Waiver services are not on the list. If a person on that waiver also receives a state plan service that requires EVV, those visits still need it.

Does Ohio deny Medicaid claims without a matching EVV visit?

Yes. A claim for a service that requires EVV must have a matching EVV visit record, and a claim that does not match is denied. Ohio calls this claims validation. It was phased in by payer and service, and all seven phases are now in effect. Each phase applies by date of service.

• Phase 1, March 1, 2025: home health services billed to ODM fee for service.
• Phase 2, June 1, 2025: private duty nursing and nurse assessment and consultation billed to ODM fee for service.
• Phase 3, June 1, 2025: home health services billed to Next Generation managed care plans.
• Phase 4, August 1, 2025: private duty nursing and nurse assessment and consultation billed to Next Generation managed care plans.
• Phase 5, October 1, 2025: DODD waiver services.
• Phase 6, January 1, 2026: Ohio Home Care Waiver and PASSPORT waiver services.
• Phase 7, March 1, 2026: home health, private duty nursing, nurse assessment and consultation, and waiver services billed to Next Generation MyCare plans.

Because the phases started on different dates, there is no single statewide denial date. The date that matters for your agency depends on what you bill and who you bill it to. Units matter too. State guidance for PASSPORT says a claim that bills more units than the EVV record supports is denied, while an EVV record may show more units than the claim.

What do Ohio agencies need to get right today?

Today's rules are the ones in the Ohio Administrative Code, and ODM has said they stay in place until that code is revised. Three of them cause the most questions: GPS, live-in caregivers and manual edits.

• GPS needs consent. GPS location may only be used when there is signed consent, and the consent has to be renewed every year. For PASSPORT, the state's guidance says GPS data is not required and may only be logged with written consent.
• Live-in caregivers can be exempt. Ohio has a live-in caregiver exemption today, and it requires approval from ODM. It is not automatic.
• Manual edits need the right reason code. For dates of service on or after April 1, 2026, a visit sent from an alternate EVV system that was manually created or manually edited must carry Edit Reason Code 99. The Sandata Aggregator rejects other edit reason codes, and a rejected visit cannot support a claim.

None of this is hard on one visit. It gets hard across hundreds of visits a week, which is why agencies that stay paid tend to review visit exceptions every day and confirm that visits reached the aggregator before they bill.

What is changing next for Ohio EVV?

Senate Bill 315 is the change to watch. It created Ohio Revised Code section 5164.42, which has been in effect since October 6, 2026. The law calls for GPS-based verification at the start and end of visits and makes a validated EVV record a condition of payment. ODM has said there is no immediate change to EVV policy and that current rules remain until the Ohio Administrative Code is revised.

ODM has said it anticipates the revised rules taking effect in mid-2027 (its September 2026 stakeholder presentation names July 1, 2027). That is the state's stated expectation, not a final rule, and it could move. Based on what ODM has presented so far, the changes are expected to include:

• GPS at the start and end of each visit, unless a GPS waiver applies. ODM has described waivers for limited cases, such as a person in the Address Confidentiality Program, a person who lives with a family member who is the worker, and a person with a developmental disability.
• A narrower live-in caregiver exemption. ODM has described the exemption as continuing only for individuals with a developmental disability who live with their direct care worker. An earlier draft rule would have removed the exemption entirely, so the final wording is still open.
• More services under EVV. The law requires ODM to review additional services, and per diem services have been discussed. ODM has not set a date for adding any new service.

ODM has also said the law requires changes to the state system and to certified alternate EVV systems, and it has indicated that certified vendors will need to recertify once the new requirements are set. We did not find a published answer on whether missing GPS data will by itself cause a claim to deny. Agencies that rely on the live-in exemption for older adults or people with physical disabilities should follow the rulemaking closely.

Ohio EVV sources

• Ohio Department of Medicaid: Electronic Visit Verification
• Ohio Department of Medicaid: EVV claims validation phase dates
• Ohio Department of Medicaid: certified alternate EVV vendor list
• Ohio Department of Medicaid: EVV stakeholder workgroup presentation (September 28, 2026)
• Ohio Revised Code section 5164.42
• Ohio Administrative Code rule 5160-32-01
• Ohio Administrative Code rule 5160-32-02
• Ohio Department of Medicaid: EVV claims validation FAQ for PASSPORT
• Ohio Department of Medicaid: EVV newsletter (February 2026)

Related reading

• EVV Software Compatible with Sandata Aggregator
• EVV Aggregators Explained: A Simple Guide for Home Care Providers
• The Benefits of Using 3rd-Party EVV Software
• Medicaid Waiver Billing Software: Avoiding Denials in HCBS
• EVV requirements for every state (map)

Other states that use Sandata

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin. See every state on the EVV requirements map.

Page history

• October 8, 2026: Page rewritten and checked against state sources.

This page is a reference, not legal advice. State rules change, so confirm details with the state before you act on them.

Ankota provides EVV software for Ohio home care agencies and is on the Ohio Department of Medicaid's certified alternate EVV vendor list. If you would like to talk through Ohio's requirements, contact Ankota or read more about Ankota's EVV software.