What should I look for in home care agency software?
Start with what Medicaid requires: EVV that captures the six federal data elements and works with your state. Then check scheduling, payroll, billing, and caregiver notes in one place. Ask who owns your data, what happens at exit, what support costs, and whether it works in your state.
Make a short list of must-haves before you watch any demo.
- EVV that your state accepts. Federal law requires EVV to verify six things: type of service, who got it, date, where, who gave it, and start and end time. In Georgia, a vendor must meet the state’s requirements and send data to the state system.
- Scheduling that fits your rules: authorizations, caregiver availability, and call-outs.
- Payroll that matches checked shifts, with travel time and overtime handled.
- Billing that builds the claim from the shift, so you do not retype.
- Caregiver notes and care plan, with a nurse signing clinical parts.
- Reports for audits.
- Data ownership. Can you export all your data, in a file you can open, if you leave?
- Support. Who answers, how fast, and is it included?
- Price in writing, including any minimum, set-up, per-user, or per-claim fee.
- Privacy. A written HIPAA business associate agreement.
Then test it with your own hard case, like a caregiver who forgot to clock in, or a claim that was rejected. Watch how many steps it takes.
Ask another owner in your state what they wish they had asked.
How CareBravo® helps
CareBravo does nine jobs in one plan and is listed by Georgia DCH as an EVV vendor.
Sources
- CMS EVV FAQs (May 2018) · Medicaid.gov / CMS
- Electronic Visit Verification: Provider FAQs · Georgia Department of Community Health (Medicaid)
- Guidance on HIPAA and Cloud Computing · HHS Office for Civil Rights
Reviewed by Beth Bledsoe, Care Business Advisor®, 28 Oct 2026. Rules change. Confirm with your state Medicaid agency before you act.
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