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CONTACT: Stephanie Smiley, 608-266-1683
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES ANNOUNCES FORWARDHEALTH
New ForwardHealth, SeniorCare and Well Woman Program
Cards Will be Sent to Members
MADISON-The Department of Health Services announces ForwardHealth, bringing
together many of the Department's health care and nutrition programs under
one entity, with the goal of creating efficiency for providers and
improving the health of enrolled members. ForwardHealth furthers the
Department's efforts in streamlining the administration of programs to
save the state and taxpayers money.
"We are making changes to ensure that our members receive high
quality services with additional security and that our providers have more
efficient ways to do business with us by utilizing better
technology," said Secretary Karen Timberlake.
The Department's Medicaid programs and other health and nutrition
programs will now be referred to as ForwardHealth programs. The programs,
which include BadgerCare Plus, SeniorCare, FoodShare, Forward Health
Elderly, Blind or Disabled (formerly EBD Medicaid), Wisconsin Chronic
Disease Program, the Family Planning Waiver, Family Care and other
long-term care programs, and the Wisconsin Well Woman Medicaid Program
will retain their current names.
As part of the move to ForwardHealth, the Department will be sending
new ForwardHealth, SeniorCare and Well Woman Program cards statewide over
the next two months. The cards will be distributed in phases for five to
eight weeks, beginning this week. Each card will have the members' new
identification number printed on the front.
The Department is replacing the current Social Security number based
identification number to a randomly assigned identification number. These
new random numbers will provide greater identity security for members.
"During this time of transition, we are making sure that every
member continues to receive high-quality care from Wisconsin's medical
professionals and pharmacists," Timberlake added. "When you get
your new ForwardHealth card, please destroy your old ForwardHealth card to
ensure that your privacy is maintained."
The Department has also transitioned Wisconsin Medicaid's claims
processing system, the Medicaid Management Information System, to a new
system, ForwardHealth interChange. This new system provides more ways for
providers and trading partners to access information and conduct business
with ForwardHealth programs via the Web. Medicaid is the largest payer in
the Wisconsin health care system and the Department is trading in thirty
year old technology for a more efficient and cost effective system.
During this time of transition, the Department is committed to quickly
debugging issues as they arise in order to assure access to services for
members and minimize disruption in payments for providers.
For more information on ForwardHealth programs, visit: http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/forwardhealth/
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Last Revised: July 12, 2010
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