MedicaidAdministrativeMedium impact
Paper Claim Form Preparation and Data Alignment Requirements for ForwardHealth interChange
Wisconsin Medicaid (ForwardHealth)·WI·Billing
Effective date
Oct 1, 2008
We identified it
Jun 20, 2026
Summary
ForwardHealth is implementing new OCR technology for processing paper claims on 1500 and UB-04 forms, requiring strict formatting standards including use of original forms, laser/inkjet printing, precise field alignment, and specific font requirements to avoid processing delays.
Action Required
By October 2008: Billing team must ensure all paper claims use original 1500/UB-04 forms (not photocopies), print with laser or inkjet printers using 10-12 point Times New Roman or Courier New font in uppercase black letters, align text precisely within fields, avoid handwritten corrections, staples, and correction fluid. Update claim preparation workflow to include anchor field requirements (Elements 2, 4, and 24 on 1500 forms). Failure to follow formatting standards will cause processing delays and potential manual review.