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WSHA News, Legislative Updates, Other News, and Student Spotlight

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  • 6 Jun 2025 7:18 AM | Anonymous

    Submitting Claims on Converted Prior Authorizations

    The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is providing Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) providers with information to understand prior authorizations (PAs) converted from WPS in the ForwardHealth Portal. The CLTS Operations Team has determined that more guidance is needed to help CLTS providers understand converted PA dollars and units. This will help ensure claims are processed in the portal appropriately.

    All PAs that were converted from WPS to the ForwardHealth Portal begin with 999. Converted PAs can be found by searching in the portal or running a Bulk PA Report. See the April 30 Finding Prior Authorization Numbers message for instructions on how to run a Bulk PA report.

    Converted PAs that only have dollars with zero units

    This type of PA will pay up to the dollar amount billed, until all dollars on the authorization have been paid. CLTS providers may bill as many units as necessary. Note: claims must always indicate at least one unit, despite the PA showing zero units.

    Converted PAs that only have units with zero dollars

    This type of PA will pay the number of units and dollars billed up to the maximum rate shown on the CLTS Statewide Uniform Rate Schedule. The claim will pay until all units have been used. Note: claims must always indicate a dollar amount billed, despite the PA showing zero dollars.

    Converted PAs that have both units and dollars

    This type of PA will pay each unit billed with a maximum dollar amount per unit according to the PA. The claim will pay until all units have been used. Note: claims must always indicate a number of units and a dollar amount billed.

    Learn more about submitting claims

    For more information on how to correctly enter claims in the ForwardHealth portal, see the May 23 ForwardHealth Claim Information message.

    Have questions or need help?

    If you have questions or need help, please contact the CLTS Operations Team at cltsoperations@gainwelltechnologies.com or 844-942-5870.


  • 4 Jun 2025 9:28 AM | Anonymous

    The following candidates are running for office on the 2025-2026 WSHA Board of Directors::

    President-elect
    Anastasia Grindle, AuD, CCC-A

    Secretary/Treasurer
    Beth Miller Swanson, MA, CCC-SLP

    At-Large AuD
    Shannon Walsh, AuD, CCC-A

    At-Large SLP
    Patty Becker, PhD, CCC-SLP

    Please review the candidate statements here and cast your vote by June 20, 2025.

    ______________________________________________________________________


  • 5 May 2025 1:29 PM | Anonymous

    Finding Prior Authorization Numbers

    The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has transitioned the state’s claims processor for the Children's Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program prior authorizations (PAs) and claims from Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) to Gainwell Technologies, using the ForwardHealth Portal.

    Submitting claims

    CLTS providers must use the Gainwell-assigned PA number when submitting claims in the portal. A claim cannot be made without this number. Each PA will have its own unique number. Using the WPS-assigned PA number will result in denied claims.

    The portal offers the ability to find the Gainwell-assigned PA numbers to help CLTS providers submit their claims more easily.

    PA Search-Bulk report

    CLTS providers will use the “PA Search-Bulk” feature in the portal, found under Quick Links in the Providers tab, to find the Gainwell-assigned PA numbers for all converted PAs from WPS. The report will include previously assigned WPS authorization numbers.

    To run the report, enter the date span and any other filtering information if needed, then hit “Export.”

    Note: If there is a high volume of PA records, hitting “Search” may result in an error due to the volume of records on the report. Using the “Export” button immediately will prevent the error.

    The report will provide important details, including:

    • Gainwell PA number
    • County waiver agency PA number, if applicable
    • Billing provider ID/Medicaid ID
    • Member ID
    • Participant name
    • PA start and end dates
    • Diagnosis codes
    • Service code
    • Modifiers
    • Units authorized, remaining, and used
    • Dollars authorized, remaining, and used
    • Internal Text: WPS authorization number

    Step-by-step instructions on using the “PA Search-Bulk” feature are in the ForwardHealth Professional Claims User Guide.

    Have questions or need help?

    If you have questions or need help, please contact the CLTS Operations Team at cltsoperations@gainwelltechnologies.com or 844-942-5870


  • 2 May 2025 6:44 AM | Anonymous

    Join ASHA in urging your members of Congress to protect newborn hearing screening programs and resources! The federal government provides grant funding and technical support to help states administer newborn hearing screening programs. These programs have proven to be extraordinarily effective. Unfortunately, actions taken and under consideration by the current administration threaten essential federal support to these vital programs. ASHA Advocacy is meeting with congressional supporters of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act program and others advocating for these federal supports. Visit the ASHA website for more information

  • 30 Apr 2025 9:49 AM | Anonymous

    On behalf of the WSHA Foundation, Inc., it is my pleasure to announce the opening of the application process for the 2026 WSHA Foundation, Inc. Scholarships. ( applications are due on or before 6/28/25).

    In 2025, at the WSHA Convention in Pewaukee the Foundation awarded a record amount, $20,000.00 in scholarships to eight graduate students!

    Please note that all scholarship awards have been increased this year by $1,000 per scholarship! The Board of Directors of the WSHA Foundation, Inc. hopes that this announcement will encourage many students to apply for the wonderful scholarship opportunities!

    Please encourage the students in your programs to apply for the scholarships. Information for each of the following scholarship awards can be found at: wisha.org

    The deadline date for scholarship applications is: on or before June 28, 2025.

    Here are the specific scholarships offered to graduate students in Speech Pathology and Audiology programs within the state:

    Jack Kile Scholarship: $2,000.00

    Risa Mari Otto Scholarship: $3,000.00

    Nancy McKinley Scholarship: $2,000.00

    Friends of WSHA Scholarship: $2,500.00

    Heart of Healthcare Scholarship: $2,500.00

    Judith and David Ward Scholarship: $2,000.00

    The Vicki Lord Larson and James R. Larson Research Grant: $2,000.00

    Since founding the WSHA Foundation in 2000 we have awarded over $300,000.00 in scholarships to deserving students. We hope you will encourage your students to take advantage of this wonderful honor and opportunity.

    If you have questions or would like to establish a scholarship or donate, please contact: Caryn Easterling at caryn@uwm.edu or cseasterling@aol.com

    Sincere best wishes,

    Caryn Easterling, PhD

    President WSHA Foundation, Inc.


  • 25 Feb 2025 8:18 AM | Anonymous

    Make plans to attend the ASHA Live Chat where the upcoming proposed changes to Medicaid funding and how they could affect ASHA members will be explained.

    Proposed Medicaid Funding Changes Ahead: What Audiologists & SLPs Need to Know

    March 4th at 7:00pm Eastern Time

    Webinar Registration - Zoom 


  • 10 Feb 2025 9:25 AM | Anonymous

    The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is preparing to change the claims payer for the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Program. Beginning May 5, 2025, CLTS claims will be processed by Gainwell Technologies, which is also the fiscal agent for ForwardHealth. You can attend a training to learn how to submit claims and view your authorizations.

    When is the training?

    The trainings will be held online through Microsoft Teams at the dates and times listed below. 

    If you have experience with and are comfortable navigating websites and online submissions, you are encouraged to attend one of the following trainings:

    • Wednesday, February 19, 2025, from 10–11:30 a.m.
    • Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 5–6:30 p.m.

    Register for the February 19 training

    Register for the February 27 training

    If you need more help navigating websites and online submissions, you are encouraged to attend one of the following trainings:

    • Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 10–11:30 a.m.
    • Tuesday, February 25, 2025, from 5–6:30 p.m.

    Register for the February 20 training

    Register for the February 25 training

    The registration email will come from Gainwell Technologies, not DHS. Don’t forget to add the training to your calendar using the Add to Calendar link once you’ve registered!

    What if I can’t be there?

    The trainings will be recorded and posted to the CLTS Provider TPA transition webpageafterward so those who cannot attend can refer to the information later.

    More information

    For more information on the transition to the new claims payer, refer to the Children’s Long-Term Support Program: Third-Party Administration Transition page of the ForwardHealth Portal.


  • 10 Feb 2025 7:54 AM | Anonymous

    Joan was an Emeritus Clinical Professor, Speech Language Pathologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Illinois-Urbana and her Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut-Storrs. Joan’s clinical interest at the Waisman Center in Madison included the treatment of children’s speech delays, stuttering and other fluency disorders.  More information is available here.

  • 24 Jan 2025 11:04 AM | Anonymous

    Opportunity to Test New CLTS ForwardHealth Portal for Providers

    The claims payer for the Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) program will transition from WPS to Gainwell Technologies in May 2025. The Department of Health Services and Gainwell Technologies invites you to test our Submission Sandbox (SETE testing) in the ForwardHealth Portal before the system goes live.

    Participating in the Submission Sandbox allows you to test portal functionality before it goes live in May 2025 without disrupting any actual claims.

    Portal functionality includes, but is not limited to:

    • Direct entry of claims into the portal.
    • The ability to copy a claim in paid status to a new claim for editing.
    • Creating claims from authorizations.

    If you are interested in participating in the Submission Sandbox, email the Gainwell Technologies CLTS Operations Team at cltsoperations@gainwelltechnologies.com by February 7. The Submission Sandbox testing date will be shared as soon as it becomes available.

    For more information on the CLTS claims payer transition please visit our transition webpage


  • 21 Jan 2025 9:06 AM | Anonymous

    WSHA remembers longtime member Theodore "Ted" Tweed.  We're grateful for his impact on audiology in Wisconsin. Join us as we reflect on reflect on all that he did to serve our patients, train our students and advocate for our profession.  The obituary is available here.

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