Prior Authorization : Submission Options

ForwardHealth Portal Prior Authorization

Providers can use the PA features on the ForwardHealth Portal to do the following:

• Submit PA requests and amendments for all services that require PA.
• View or maintain a PA collaboration (for certain services only).
• Save a partially completed PA request and return at a later time to finish completing it.
• Upload PA attachments and additional supporting clinical documentation for PA requests.
• Receive decision notice letters and returned provider review letters.
• Correct returned PA requests and PA amendment requests.
• Change the status of a PA request from "Suspended" to "Pending."
• Submit additional supporting documentation for a PA request that is in "Suspended" or "Pending" status.
• Search and view previously submitted PA requests or saved PA requests.
• Print a PA cover sheet.

Submitting PA Requests and Amendment Requests

Providers can submit PA requests for all services that require PA to ForwardHealth via the secure Provider area of the Portal. To save time, providers can copy and paste information from plans of care and other medical documentation into the appropriate fields on the PA request. Except for those providers exempt from NPI requirements, NPI and related data are required on PA requests submitted via the Portal.

When completing PA attachments on the Portal, providers can take advantage of an Additional Information field at the end of the PA attachment that holds up to five pages of text that may be needed.

Providers may also submit amendment requests via the Portal for PA requests with a status of "Approved" or "Approved with Modifications."

View or Maintain a PA Collaboration (for Certain Services Only)

A PA collaborative will link two or more PA requests for the same member together so providers can easily see and maintain them. Providers may collaborate on PA request submissions and amendments that are submitted for certain services through the Portal.

Any of the following provider types may initiate or add a PA request to a collaborative:

• Physical therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Speech-language pathologists
• Home health agencies
• Personal care agencies

PA requests and amendments will continue to be reviewed individually, regardless of whether they are part of a PA collaborative or not. The denial or modification of one PA request will not impact other PA requests in the same collaborative.

Saving Partially Completed PA Requests

Providers do not have to complete PA requests in one session; they can save partially completed PA requests at any point after the Member Information page has been completed by clicking on the Save and Complete Later button, which is at the bottom of each page. There is no limit to how many times PA requests can be saved.

Providers can complete partially saved PA requests at a later time by logging in to the secure Provider area of the Portal, navigating to the Prior Authorization home page, and clicking on the Complete a Saved PA Request link. This link takes the provider to a Saved PA Requests page containing all of the provider's PA requests that have been saved.

Once on the Saved PA Requests page, providers can select a specific PA request and choose to either continue completing it or delete it.

Note: The ability to save partially completed PA requests is only applicable to new PA requests. Providers cannot save partially completed PA amendments or corrections to returned PA requests or amendments.

30 Calendar Days to Submit or Re-Save PA Requests

Providers must submit or re-save PA requests within 30 calendar days of the date the PA request was last saved. After 30 calendar days of inactivity, a PA request is automatically deleted, and the provider has to re-enter the entire PA request.

The Saved PA Requests page includes a list of deleted PA requests. This list is for information purposes only and includes saved PA requests that have been deleted due to inactivity (it does not include PA requests deleted by the provider). Neither providers nor ForwardHealth are able to retrieve PA requests that have been deleted.

Submitting Completed PA Requests

ForwardHealth's initial receipt of a PA request occurs when the PA request is submitted on the Portal. Normal backdating policy applies based on the date of initial receipt, not on the last saved date. Providers receive a confirmation of receipt along with a PA number once a PA request is submitted on the Portal.

PA Attachments on the Portal

Almost all PA request attachments can be completed and submitted on the Portal. When providers are completing PA requests, the Portal presents the necessary attachments needed for that PA request. For example, if a physician is completing a PA request for physician-administered drugs, the Portal will prompt a PA/PAD and display the form for the provider to complete. Certain PA attachments cannot be completed online or uploaded.

Providers may also upload an electronically completed version of the paper PA attachment form. However, when submitting a PA attachment electronically, ForwardHealth recommends completing the PA attachment online as opposed to uploading an electronically completed version of the paper attachment form to reduce the chances of the PA request being returned for clerical errors.

All PA request attachment forms are available on the Portal to download and print to submit by fax or mail.

Providers may also choose to submit their PA request on the Portal and mail or fax the PA attachment(s) and/or additional supporting documentation to ForwardHealth. If the PA attachment(s) are mailed or faxed, a system-generated Portal PA Cover Sheet must be printed and sent with the attachment to ForwardHealth for processing. Providers must list the attachment(s) on the Portal PA Cover Sheet. When ForwardHealth receives the PA attachment(s) by mail or fax, they will be matched up with the PA/RF that was completed on the Portal.

Note: If the cover sheet could not be generated while submitting the PA request due to technical difficulties, providers can print the cover sheet from the main Portal PA page.

Before submitting any PA request documents, providers should save or print a copy for their records. Once the PA request is submitted, it cannot be retrieved for further editing.

As a reminder, ForwardHealth does not mail back any PA request documents submitted by providers.

Additional Supporting Clinical Documentation

ForwardHealth accepts additional supporting clinical documentation when the information cannot be indicated on the required PA request forms and is pertinent for processing the PA request or PA amendment request. Providers have the following options for submitting additional supporting clinical information for PA requests or PA amendment requests:

• Upload electronically
• Mail
• Fax

Providers can choose to upload electronic supporting information through the Portal in the following formats:

• JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg)
• PDF (.pdf)
• Rich Text Format (.rtf)
• Text File (.txt)
• OrthoCAD (.3dm) (for dental providers)

JPEG files must be stored with a ".jpg" or ".jpeg" extension; text files must be stored with a ".txt" extension; rich text format files must be stored with an ".rtf" extension; and PDF files must be stored with a ".pdf" extension. Dental OrthoCAD files are stored with a ".3dm" extension.

Microsoft Word files (.docx or .doc) cannot be uploaded but can be saved and uploaded in Rich Text Format or Text File formats.

In addition, providers can also upload additional supporting clinical documentation via the Portal when:

• Correcting a PA request or PA amendment request that is in a "Returned — Provider Review" status.
• Submitting a PA amendment request.

If submitting supporting clinical information via mail or fax, providers are prompted to print a system-generated Portal PA Cover Sheet to be sent with the information to ForwardHealth for processing. Providers must list the additional supporting information on the Portal PA Cover Sheet.

ForwardHealth will return PA requests and PA amendments requests when the additional documentation could have been indicated on the PA/RF and PA attachments or when the pertinent information is difficult to find.

"Suspended" PA Requests

For PA requests in a "Suspended" status, the provider has the option to:

• Change a PA request status from "Suspended" to "Pending."
• Submit additional documentation for a PA request that is in "Suspended" or "Pending" status.

Changing a PA Request From "Suspended" to "Pending"

The provider has the option of changing a PA request status from "Suspended — Provider Sending Info" to "Pending" if the provider determines that additional information will not be submitted. Changing the status from "Suspended — Provider Sending Info" to "Pending" will allow the PA request to be processed without waiting for additional information to be submitted. The provider can change the status by searching for the suspended PA request, checking the box indicating that the PA request is ready for processing without additional documentation, and clicking the Submit button to allow the PA request to be processed by ForwardHealth. There is an optional free form text box, which allows providers to explain or comment on why the PA request can be processed.

Submitting Additional Supporting Clinical Documentation for a PA Request in "Suspended" or "Pending" Status

There is an Upload Documents for a PA link on the PA home page in the provider secured Home Page. By selecting that link, providers have the option of submitting additional supporting clinical documentation for a PA request that is in "Suspended" or "Pending" status. When submitting additional supporting clinical documentation for a PA request that is in "Suspended" status, providers can choose to have ForwardHealth begin processing the PA request or to keep the PA request suspended. PA requests in a "Pending" status are processed regardless.

Note: When the PA request is in a "Pending" status and the provider uploads additional supporting clinical documentation, there may be up to a four-hour delay before the documentation is available to ForwardHealth in the system. If the uploaded information was received after the PA request was processed and the PA request was returned for missing information, the provider may resubmit the PA request stating that the missing information was already uploaded.