MedicaidAdministrativeMedium impact
ForwardHealth Accepts Additional Formats for Digital Scans of Orthodontic Models
Wisconsin Medicaid (ForwardHealth)·WI · Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery·Medical Policy
Effective date
Sep 10, 2026
We identified it
Sep 10, 2026
Summary
ForwardHealth now accepts digital scan files in .dcm, .stl, and .ply formats (in addition to existing .3dm format) for orthodontic model submissions with prior authorization requests through the ForwardHealth Portal, effective September 10, 2026. This eliminates the need to mail physical models separately, accelerating PA processing and reducing PHI loss risk.
Action Required
By September 10, 2026: Billing and clinical staff must update orthodontic prior authorization submission procedures to utilize the ForwardHealth Portal for uploading digital scans in the new file formats (.dcm, .stl, .ply) instead of mailing physical models. Staff should be trained on the Portal's document upload process per the ForwardHealth Provider Portal Prior Authorization User Guide. Providers may continue mailing physical models as an alternative, but ForwardHealth encourages digital submission. No claims will be denied for using the previous process, but digital submission is now the preferred method for faster processing.