FEA Toolkit for Adult Long-Term Care Provider Enrollment
All providers and vendors of home and community-based services under an adult long-term care (LTC) waiver program must enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal by January 1, 2026. Fiscal employer agents (FEAs) are key partners to communicate this new requirement to providers and vendors. FEAs are also key in ensuring IRIS participants are aware of this new requirement, and supported to communicate with their providers and vendors about it.
We need your help. FEAs and all partners should help providers and vendors feel confident about this process by sharing information in accessible, meaningful ways. As an FEA, DHS is requiring you to share the following resources with your providers and vendors using your communications channels.
Who to share these materials with
The following providers and entities should enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal as soon as possible:
- Organizations and agencies
- Sole proprietors
- Individuals who are not participant-hired workers
Two types of workers are not enrolling right now
- Participant-hired workers do not have to enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid. The requirement does not apply to them so they will keep working as usual.
- Supportive home care organizations or providers with a unique EVV provider agency ID do not need to enroll yet. Their provider type is not available in the application right now. We will announce when they can start enrolling later this summer. They will have plenty of time to enroll before the deadline.
Materials you're required to share
How to use it
- Add a link to it on your website or provider portal
- Link to it in an automatic response message for email addresses frequently used by providers
- Share it in an email or newsletter
- Include a printed copy when sending direct mail to your providers
How to use it
- Add a link to it on your website or provider portal
- Link to it in an automatic response message for email addresses frequently used by providers
- Share it in an email or newsletter
- Include a printed copy when sending direct mail to your providers
How to use it
Send monthly via email directly to providers and vendors who have yet to start an enrollment application, based on the reports DHS sends.
Get the email for providers
Copy and paste the content below:
As a <<MCO/FEA Name>> provider <<or vendor>>, you are an important part of getting quality, timely care to Wisconsin adults who are older or have disabilities. We want to remind you about a new requirement for you to enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal by January 1, 2026.
Who should enroll now
If you are any of the following provider types, you should enroll as soon as possible:
- Organizations and agencies
- Sole proprietors
- Individuals who are not self-directed support workers
- Individuals who deliver supportive home care along with other services
While the deadline is January 1, 2026, starting now will allow you to be listed in the public-facing ForwardHealth Provider Directory. You can easily choose the services you want to deliver, and the programs relevant to you.
Who will enroll later this year
If you are any of the following provider types, you should wait to enroll:
- Supportive home care organizations
- Providers with a unique Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) provider agency ID
ForwardHealth will let you know when you can enroll, likely in mid-2025. You’ll have until January 1, 2026, to enroll.
Make sure you get notified—visit
Who does not need to enroll
If you are any of the following provider types, this new requirement does not affect you and you do not need to enroll:
- Participant-hired workers
- Individual self-directed support workers
How to get started enrolling now
First, gather materials
You’ll need the following information to complete your application:
- Tax identification number(s)
- National Provider Identifier (NPI), if you have one
- Address
- Name and address of owners and managing employees
- Any applicable professional license or certification information
Next, start your application
Visit
Help is available
Visit
- Recorded trainings
- Adult Long-Term Care Updates
- Questions and answers
- Contacts for assistance
Call Provider Services at 800-947-9627 if you have questions or need help. Representatives are available Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. Central time. When you call, say, “LTC Waiver” at the menu prompt to speak with a representative about LTC provider enrollment.
You can get notifications and reminders sent right to your email by signing up for the Adult LTC Waiver Provider email list at
How to use it
Include in regular channels you use to communicate with new and existing providers and vendors, such as:
- Webpages about provider enrollment
- Provider FAQs
- Newsletters, bulletins, or updates
Get the short provider article
Copy and paste the content below:
Our providers <<and vendors>> must enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal
All <<MCO/FEA Name>> providers <<and vendors>> delivering Medicaid waiver authorized services must enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal by January 1, 2026. This new requirement will centralize enrollment for providers of adult long-term care waiver services across the state and make it easier for program members to find providers and vendors.
If you haven’t already, start your Wisconsin Medicaid provider enrollment application today at
- Be among the first adult long-term care providers to be listed in the public-facing ForwardHealth Provider Directory. You can easily choose which services you want to deliver and the programs relevant to you.
- Get ahead of the game. We encourage you to start early to allow for application processing time.
- Take advantage of training resources. On-demand trainings are available. Here’s what people have to say about them:
- “It was well organized and easy to follow.”
- “It’s nice to be able to get the training at home online.”
- “Overall good training, and I understand how to add either the waiver services or programs to my enrollment.”
Visit
Note: Supportive home care organizations and providers with a unique EVV provider agency ID should not enroll yet. Your provider type is not available in the application. ForwardHealth will let you know when you can enroll, likely later this summer. Make sure to subscribe to the email list for adult LTC waiver services providers to get notified when you can enroll.
How to use it
Place prominently on materials and channels your providers and vendors see regularly when filing claims or getting paid, such as:
- Claims portals
- Payment receipts
- Claims-related letters
- Monthly statements
Get the banner message
Copy and paste the content below:
Short banner message
Have you started your provider enrollment? All providers of Medicaid waiver authorized services must enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal by January 1, 2026. Get started:
Long banner message
ATTENTION ALL PROVIDERS: Effective January 1, 2026, all providers must get a Medicaid ID number by enrolling with Wisconsin Medicaid using the ForwardHealth Portal. Some providers may have to enroll for each location where they provide services. If you do not have a Medicaid ID number by January 1, 2026, you cannot provide services or receive payment from managed care organizations (MCOs) or IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct).
Find information and trainings about this new requirement on the ForwardHealth Portal:
How to use it
Include in your monthly newsletter for IRIS participants
Get the short IRIS participant article
Copy and paste the content below:
Your providers and vendors need to take action!
Your providers and vendors are an important part of the care you get through IRIS. They are paid by Wisconsin Medicaid for the services they deliver in your home. Many of your providers and vendors have a new requirement to enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid through the ForwardHealth Portal. They need to do this by January 1, 2026.
As your fiscal employer agent (FEA), we know about this new requirement. We’re helping remind your providers and vendors to enroll by the deadline. We need your help too!
Learn about the requirement
Check out the Adult Long-Term Care Provider Enrollment IRIS Tip Sheet at dhs.wi.gov/iris/ltcpm-iris-tip-sheet.pdf. It’s short and gives you all the information you need to know.
Your IRIS consultant should talk with you about this new requirement at your next meeting, too. If you have questions, have them ready for this meeting. They’re there to help you.
Two types of workers aren't enrolling right now
Some providers do not need to do this enrollment:
- Participant-hired workers do not have to enroll with Wisconsin Medicaid. The requirement does not apply to them so they will keep working as usual.
- Supportive home care organizations do not need to enroll yet. Their provider type is not available in the application right now. We will announce when they can start enrolling later this summer. They will have plenty of time to enroll before the deadline.
Tip: You can see what types of providers or vendors you have in your Individual Services and Supports Plan.
Get tools to talk with your providers and vendors about the requirement
You should talk with your providers and vendors to make sure they know how to enroll on the ForwardHealth Portal. This will help make sure they can stay on with you next year.
Get a toolkit to support you in these conversations—head to dhs.wi.gov/iris/participant-ltcpm-toolkit.htm. It has suggestions of what you can say, and resources to help with enrollment that you can share.
Ask questions right away
If you have questions or need help understanding something, talk with your IRIS consultant. They know about this new enrollment requirement and can help you figure out how to make sure your providers and vendors take action.
How to use it
Provide to your call center staff to use when IRIS participants call with questions about the new provider enrollment process
Get the FEA support line talking points for IRIS participants
Download the FEA support line talking points for IRIS participants (PDF)
How to use it
Provide to your call center staff to use when providers or vendors call with questions about the new provider enrollment process
Get the FEA support line talking points for providers
Download the FEA support line talking points for providers (PDF)
Please do not download and save the materials in the table above. Make sure to access these materials using the links above each time you want to use them! DHS will refresh the content throughout the year, so providers are always seeing something new and fresh.
If you have questions, feedback, or other ideas for increasing early enrollment, email us at