Action Needed by CHC Participants Moving from PPL to Tempus
The CHC Managed Care Plans continue to work with Tempus Unlimited, Inc (Tempus) to prepare for the transition from PPL to Tempus as the new financial management services provider starting July 1, 2022. This change impacts CHC Participants who use the participant-directed model to hire their direct care workers – it does not impact anyone getting their Personal Assistance Services or direct care workers through an agency.
Tempus will start paying workers July 1st; however, starting in June, direct care workers will use Tempus’ system to record time and CHC Participants will use Tempus’ system to approve time. People on Payroll Schedule A must submit time to Tempus (instead of PPL) starting June 5th. People on Payroll Schedule B must submit time to Tempus (instead of PPL) starting June 12th. To ensure there are no disruptions in payments, CHC Participants currently using PPL, and their direct care workers, must take the following steps.
What you need to do now
- Get Trained about Tempus’ EVV System to Record and Approve Time – The Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system that workers will use to clock in and out, and that CHC Participants will use to approve time, will be different under Tempus than what people have been using with PPL. Impacted people should attend a training as soon as possible so that they understand the new system before they must start using it in June.
Tempus is holding live training sessions. The schedule for these live trainings is available here. There are sessions in Spanish as well as sessions with American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters. Registration is not needed.
Tempus also has recorded trainings and other training materials available on its website. The training materials include information about the electronic system, called “Evvie”, as well as the telephone system to record and approve time using a landline phone, called “Telephone Visit Verification -TVV” and “Interactive Voice Recognition-IVR”.
Tempus has an EVV Online Help Desk available now through mid-July where people can call or go online to get live support help. This help is available Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm. More information is available here. There are also general Question and Answer Sessions held many times during the week that people can attend. People do not need to register for these sessions.
Please note that people who will be using the electronic Evvie system need to share their email address with Tempus so that Tempus can send the information needed to register with the online system.
- Complete and Return Transition Packets – Tempus still has not received transition packets from approximately 25 percent of CHC Participants and their direct care workers. People who have not yet submitted a completed packet or who have not yet heard from Tempus that their packet has been received should contact Tempus as soon as possible by calling 1-844-983-6787 or emailing PAFMS@tempusunlimited.org. People can request transition packets through Tempus’ website here. People who need packets in a language other than English can contact Tempus and request the packet in their specific language. People who need the information in an alternative format should make that request to Tempus. CHC Service Coordinators will be taking steps in upcoming weeks to help individuals whose packets are outstanding.
Note: Tempus is sending transition packets to the address on file with the County Assistance Office. If someone has moved, contact the Department of Human Services Customer Service Center at 1-877-395-8930 to report the new address.
- Registering new direct care workers - CHC Participants who hire new caregivers through the participant directed model should still register the new direct care workers with PPL through May 20, 2022. After this date, new workers will need to register through Tempus.
Drop-in Sessions
Beginning May 10, 2022, Tempus and the CHC-MCOs will be holding In-Person Drop-in Sessions to help participants and DCWs complete their transition packets and provide training on how to use the EVV system. The dates, times and locations for each session are as follows:
Tuesday, May 10
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Hampton Inn
1550 Mt. Zion Rd.
York, PA 17402
Thursday, May 12
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
TEF Office
1500 N. 2nd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
Monday, May 16
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Genetti Hotel
200 West Fourth Street
Williamsport, PA 17701
Wednesday, May 18
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Deliverance Church
2001 W. Lehigh Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19132
Tuesday, May 24
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
DoubleTree by Hilton
701 Penn Street
Reading, PA 19601
Wednesday, May 25
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Renaissance Allentown
12 North 7th St.
Allentown, PA 18101
Wednesday, June 1
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
UPMC Harbor Gardens
1650 Metropolitan Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233
Thursday, June 2
10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Altoona Public Library
1600 5th Ave.
Altoona, PA 16602
Stakeholder meetings continue to be held monthly. These meetings are generally held on the first Friday of every month from 1pm-2:30pm. The next meeting will be held on May 6th. The meetings provide updated information about the transition from PPL to Tempus. They are open to the public and there are opportunities to ask questions. To receive announcements about these meetings, join the Office of Long-Term Living’s Community HealthChoices email list here.
We’ll continue to update readers about the transition from PPL to Tempus. CHC Participants who are having problems attending a training or getting their transition packet are encouraged to contact PHLP’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 or staff@phlp.org.
