California EVV Software That Keeps Medi-Cal Claims Moving
ShiftCare captures every federally required EVV data point, transmits visits directly to the through Sandata, and links each verified visit to scheduling, care notes, and Medi-Cal billing. Your caregivers stay compliant. Your coordinators stop chasing paperwork. Your claims stop getting rejected for missing visit data.
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What Is California EVV?
California’s Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) program verifies Medi-Cal-funded home care and home health visits electronically. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) administers the program. Sandata is the contracted technology vendor that operates the state’s solution. Federal law (the 21st Century Cures Act) requires this verification for all in-home Medicaid services to prevent fraud and ensure accurate billing.
California uses an open-model EVV program with three pieces:
- CalEVV is the state-supplied EVV system that providers can use free of charge.
- Alternate EVV (AltEVV) is the official term for any third-party EVV system that providers can use instead of CalEVV. ShiftCare is an approved, state-certified Alternate EVV solution.
- The CalEVV Aggregator is the central data repository (operated by Sandata for DHCS) that receives visit data from both CalEVV and from every Alternate EVV system.
Whichever route a provider chooses, the visit data ends up in the CalEVV Aggregator. ShiftCare transmits CURES Act-compliant visit data straight in.
Who Has to Use EVV in California?
EVV applies to most Medi-Cal-funded home care and home health providers. The specific obligation depends on your program type.
Personal care service providers
Required to use EVV for Medi-Cal-funded personal care services. Every visit must be electronically verified through CalEVV or an Alternate EVV system.
Home health agencies
Required to use EVV for Medi-Cal-funded home health services. Every visit must capture the six federally required data points.
HCBS waiver providers
Required to use EVV for any waiver-funded personal care or attendant service delivered in the home.
IDD providers via regional centers
EVV may apply depending on the service type. Verify your specific EVV obligation with your regional center.
IHSS providers
IHSS providers use the state-issued IHSS EVV mobile app to submit timesheets directly. ShiftCare is built for licensed home care agencies and Medi-Cal-contracted providers, not as a replacement for the IHSS provider app.
Medi-Cal Managed Care contractors
Required to use EVV per plan policy. Managed Care Plans may apply specific EVV requirements on top of the base DHCS mandate.
Medi-Cal Fee-for-Service
Required to use EVV for all personal care and home health services billed through Medi-Cal FFS.
The Six Federally Required EVV Data Points
Every California EVV-compliant visit must electronically capture:
- Type of service performed
- Individual receiving the service
- Date of service
- Location of service
- Individual providing the service
- Time service begins and ends
ShiftCare captures all six automatically. When a caregiver clocks in or out through the mobile app, the data records itself. Nothing is keyed in by hand.
How ShiftCare Meets California EVV Requirements
Direct transmission to the CalEVV Aggregator
ShiftCare is an approved, state-certified Alt-EVV that sends visit data straight to the CalEVV Aggregator through Sandata in the format DHCS requires. No file exports. No double handling between your scheduling, EVV, and billing systems. Your coordinators see one source of truth.
GPS-verified clock-in and clock-out
Caregivers clock in and out through the ShiftCare mobile app. GPS verifies the service location and the six required data points record automatically. If a caregiver tries to clock in from the wrong address, the system flags it for review before the visit transmits to the CalEVV Aggregator. Location fraud gets caught early, not after a claim is rejected.
Visit Verification Agent for automated EVV compliance
ShiftCare's Visit Verification Agent automates the manual coordinator work that EVV usually creates. It watches every visit for early clock-outs, missed clock-ins, location mismatches, and unapproved overtime, then surfaces the exceptions that actually need a human decision. Coordinators spend their time on the visits that matter, not on scrolling through clean ones.
Offline-ready caregiver app
The mobile app works in low-signal homes. Visit data stores locally on the device and syncs the moment the caregiver gets back online, so caregivers in rural areas or homes with poor cell reception aren't blocked from clocking in.
Care documentation linked to every EVV record
Every EVV visit links to the caregiver's shift notes, completed tasks, and any incident reports. When DHCS asks for proof that services were actually delivered, you've got the timestamps, the task lists, and the caregiver signatures, all tied to the same visit record.
Audit-ready visit logs with exception management
ShiftCare flags EVV exceptions automatically: missed clock-ins, early clock-outs, location mismatches, unapproved overtime. Coordinators triage exceptions before claims go out, which is where the rejected-claim risk actually lives.
Live caregiver tracking
Coordinators see who's on shift, who's running late, and who hasn't clocked in within 15 minutes of their scheduled start time. Schedule adherence becomes proactive instead of reactive.
SCHEDULING & TIMESHEETS
ShiftCare is easily to set up and use. My employees can easily clock in and out. Because of this feature, payroll is a breeze. In addition to time tracking, ShiftCare allows my employee to write notes in real time.
CONSOLIDATION
Everything is in one spot. I can reach out to all staff at once. I can communicate and see communication all in one program.
AI That Takes Pressure Off Your California Coordinators
Compliance is only half the job. The other half is keeping every shift covered, every caregiver matched, and every visit verified without burning out your coordinators. ShiftCare’s AI features handle the parts of the workflow that used to live in spreadsheets, group texts, and back-and-forth phone calls.
AI SmartMatch
AI SmartMatch pairs caregivers with clients based on skills, availability, language, location, and continuity of care. Coordinators stop guessing who's the right fit for a shift, and clients stop seeing a new face every week. Continuity of care is a quality signal Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans actively look for. Learn more about AI SmartMatch.
Visit Verification Agent
The Visit Verification Agent reviews every clock-in and clock-out as it happens, flags the exceptions that need a coordinator's attention (location mismatches, missed clock-ins, early departures), and lets clean visits flow through to billing without manual review. EVV compliance stops being a daily admin tax.
Why California Providers Choose ShiftCare Over EVV-Only Tools
EVV-only tools capture visit data but leave scheduling, documentation, and billing in separate systems. ShiftCare combines all four. Your team works from one platform instead of stitching together exports.
| What ShiftCare includes | What generic EVV-only tools include |
|---|---|
| Alternate EVV (AltEVV) with direct transmission to the CalEVV Aggregator | Alternate EVV (AltEVV) with direct transmission to the CalEVV Aggregator |
| Caregiver scheduling and shift assignment | No scheduling (separate tool required) |
| AI SmartMatch and Visit Verification Agent | No AI automation |
| Care plans and visit documentation | No care documentation (separate tool required) |
| Family portal for visit transparency | No family portal |
| Medi-Cal billing exports with EVV data attached | Export EVV data manually, then upload to your biller |
| Offline mobile clock-in for low-signal homes | Offline capability varies by vendor |
| US-based implementation support | Support hours and quality vary by vendor |
| $9 per user per month | Pricing varies; many EVV-only tools charge per visit or per agency |
California EVV Implementation Timeline
Most California agencies move to ShiftCare within 14 days, including caregiver onboarding, CalEVV Aggregator credentialing through Sandata, and the first audit-ready visit log.
| Timeline | What happens |
|---|---|
| Day 1 to 3 | Discovery and caregiver list import. Our implementation team reviews your current EVV setup, caregiver roster, and CalEVV registration status. Caregiver data imports from your existing system. |
| Day 4 to 7 | AltEVV credentialing with Sandata. We complete the Alternate EVV credentialing process with Sandata so visit data can transmit to the CalEVV Aggregator. We configure service types, billing codes, and location verification rules to match your Medi-Cal contracts. |
| Day 8 to 10 | Caregiver mobile rollout and training. Caregivers download the ShiftCare mobile app and complete a 15-minute training on clock-in, visit notes, and offline mode. Most agencies run a parallel test week before full cutover. |
| Day 11 to 14 | Go-live and first compliance audit check. ShiftCare goes live. The first week of EVV data flows into the CalEVV Aggregator. We verify your audit logs show all six required data points captured correctly. |
Shift care makes my life so much easier as an agency director. Whether it’s scheduling or communicating directly to the caregiver through the app, it makes my life easier.
Built for the Full California Home Care Workflow
ShiftCare handles scheduling, documentation, billing, and family communication alongside California EVV compliance. One platform, one source of truth.
Caregiver scheduling
Build weekly schedules, assign shifts, track availability, and notify caregivers of changes through ShiftCare's scheduling software. Every scheduled shift becomes an expected EVV visit. If a caregiver doesn't clock in, the system flags it as a missed visit before you submit the claim.
Care plan management
Store care plans, service authorizations, and individual client goals. Link care tasks to EVV visits so DHCS auditors see exactly what services were delivered during each verified visit.
Family portal
Families log in to see upcoming visits, caregiver assignments, and care notes. GPS-verified clock-in and clock-out times show in real time, which cuts down on the "did anyone show up today?" calls to the office.
Medi-Cal billing and invoicing
Export billing files in Medi-Cal-required formats. EVV visit data links to each billing record, so claims include proof of service delivery and fewer rejections come back from missing or incomplete EVV data.
Compliance documentation
Store incident reports, medication logs, training records, and caregiver certifications. Every compliance record ties to the EVV visit it belongs to, so an audit pulls everything in one thread.
Reporting and analytics
Track EVV exception rates, schedule adherence, caregiver utilization, and client visit frequency. Reports surface the caregivers with repeated late clock-outs or location mismatches, so coordinators address training gaps before DHCS surfaces them.
California EVV Software FAQs
What is California EVV?
California’s EVV program electronically verifies Medi-Cal-funded home care and home health visits, as required by the federal 21st Century Cures Act. The program is administered by DHCS. Providers can use the state-supplied CalEVV system or any Alternate EVV (AltEVV) system that transmits data to the CalEVV Aggregator.
Is EVV mandatory in California?
Yes. EVV is mandatory for Medi-Cal-funded personal care services and home health care services. Non-compliant providers face delayed or denied Medi-Cal claims and may be subject to disciplinary action by DHCS under Welfare and Institutions Code 14043.51.
Who has to use EVV in California?
Providers delivering Medi-Cal-funded personal care, home health, and most HCBS waiver services. IHSS providers use the separate state-issued IHSS EVV app.
What's the difference between CalEVV and Alternate EVV?
CalEVV is the state-supplied EVV system, free for providers to use. Alternate EVV (AltEVV) is the official term for any third-party EVV system, like ShiftCare, that transmits visit data to the CalEVV Aggregator instead. Either route is compliant. The CalEVV Aggregator (operated by Sandata for DHCS) is the data repository that receives visits from both.
Is ShiftCare an approved EVV vendor in California?
ShiftCare is an Alternate EVV (AltEVV) solution. Once your agency completes the AltEVV credentialing process with Sandata, ShiftCare transmits CURES Act-compliant visit data straight to the CalEVV Aggregator. California runs an open-model program, so any AltEVV system that completes credentialing is an approved option.
What data does California EVV need to capture?
Six federally required data points: type of service, individual receiving the service, date of service, location of service, individual providing the service, and the time service begins and ends.
Does EVV apply to IHSS providers?
IHSS providers use the state-issued IHSS EVV mobile app for direct timesheet submission. ShiftCare is built for licensed home care agencies and Medi-Cal-contracted providers, not as a replacement for the IHSS provider app.
How does ShiftCare transmit data to the CalEVV Aggregator?
ShiftCare captures visit data through the caregiver mobile app and sends it directly to the CalEVV Aggregator through Sandata, in the format DHCS requires. Your coordinators work in one system for EVV, scheduling, documentation, and Medi-Cal billing.
Does ShiftCare use AI for California EVV?
Yes. ShiftCare’s AI features include AI SmartMatch, which pairs the right caregiver to each client based on skills, availability, language, location, and continuity of care, and the Visit Verification Agent, which automates EVV exception review so coordinators only see the visits that need a human decision.
How long does it take to switch EVV vendors in California?
Most California agencies complete the move to ShiftCare within 14 days, including caregiver onboarding, AltEVV credentialing with Sandata, and the first audit-ready visit log.
How much does ShiftCare cost for California home care agencies?
ShiftCare starts at $9 per user per month, with a free 7 day trial and no credit card required. Pricing covers scheduling, EVV, care documentation, family portal, and Medi-Cal billing in one platform.
See How ShiftCare Keeps California Providers EVV-Compliant from Day One
Alternate EVV with direct transmission to the CalEVV Aggregator. AI SmartMatch and the Visit Verification Agent. Caregiver scheduling. Care documentation. Medi-Cal billing. One platform. California home care agencies stay compliant without switching between systems.