Economic Support FAQ

There are several ways that you can apply for benefits:

1. You can apply for benefits online at www.access.wisconsin.gov -  24/7. 

2. You can contact the Southern Consortium Call Center at 1-888-794-5780  8:30 am to 4:00 pm 

    Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Thursday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm – call to request to set

    a filing date electronically. 

3. You can call the Iowa County Department of Social Services – Economic Support Unit at 608-930-

    9801  Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. and request to have an application be mailed to you. 

4. You can stop into our office at 303 W Chapel Street – Suite 2300 in Dodgeville, WI Monday-Friday

    between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and pick up an application.

If you have created an account in access and are not able to access your account, you may have to reset your password, which you can do from the login page on ACCESS. Look for the statement “If you have forgotten your User ID or password, click here” located under the login button. Follow the instructions from there. If you continue to have problems, you can contact Member Services at 1-800-362-3002.

It is highly recommended you write down your ACCESS account information and store it in a secure place.

The allotted processing time for a regular application is 30 days from the date we receive your application in our office, which we refer to as your application filing date. We make every effort to process requests as quickly as we can. When you turn in verifications or report changes, the processing timeline is generally 10 days from the date that we receive and date-stamp the documents in our office. Documents are processed in the order that they are received.

Providing the needed verifications for applications, changes and renewals is the easiest way to speed up the process. You can find a general list of verification requirements in the instruction section of a paper application or thru www.access.wisconsin.gov - however, there will be times that we may need to request further information. All programs require that you verify earned and unearned income; therefore, submitting your most recent 30 days of paystubs from your job is always helpful and can save time. Or if you are self-employed, submitting your complete tax records from the previous filing year (both personal and business) for example.

The fax number to the Central Data Processing Unit (CDPU) is 1 (855) 293-1822

You can contact the Southern Consortium Call Center at 1 (888) 794-5780. 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday and Thursday 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.   

If you have general questions/inquiries or if you want to report changes (for example, a change in income, household composition, address, rent/mortgage amount) you can contact the Southern Consortium Call Center at 1 (888) 794-5780.

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/fraud/index.htm#:~:text=The%20Department%20encourages%20the%20public,through%20the%20fraud%20reporting%20website.

Call Member Services at 1 (800) 362-3002 to:

• Ask question about covered services and copay,
• Ask questions about enrollment rules,
• Find a provider,
• Replace your lost, stolen, or damaged ForwardHealth card.

If need to find out which HMO you are enrolled in, Call 1 (800) 362-3002

If you already have a Wisconsin Quest card (EBT card), your benefits will be on your card the following day. If this is the first time you are receiving FoodShare benefits, you will be mailed a Wisconsin Quest card from Madison the evening that your benefits are approved. You should receive your card in approximately 5-7 days. Your benefits will be available for your use as soon as you call and activate your card. Note: If you have ever received FoodShare benefits in the past, you will not automatically receive another card at the time of a new application. If you no longer have that card, you will need to call Quest Customer Services at 1 (877) 415-5164 and request a new card be sent to you.

If you lose or misplace your FoodShare card, you can call QUEST Customer Services at 1 (877) 415-5164 and they will deactivate your lost card and send you a new card.  Once you receive the new card you will again need to call to activate it. 

Each month that you are enrolled in FoodShare, your benefits will automatically be added to your QUEST card.  The date you get your benefit is based on the eighth digit of your Social Security number. 

The Wisconsin QUEST card is a safe and easy way for you to use your FoodShare benefits.  You can use it to buy food at stores that have swipe card terminals and take part in FoodShare.  It is similar to a plastic debit card and has your name, card number and the Wisconsin QUEST logo on it.  For more information, https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p1/p16088.pdf

The Caretaker Supplement (CTS) An additional amount of monthly cash benefit provided to certain SSI recipients in Wisconsin who reside with their dependent children. Wisconsin funds this benefit with a combination of state dollars and its federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant. ( CTS Caretaker Supplement - An additional amount of monthly cash benefit provided to certain SSI recipients in Wisconsin who reside with their dependent children. Wisconsin funds this benefit with a combination of state dollars and its federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grant. ) is a cash benefit program.  The program’s benefit recipients are low-income parents who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.  These SSI parents receive CTS benefits for each of their eligible children.  A CTS benefit is $275.00 per month for the first eligible child and $165.00 per month for each subsequent eligible child.

Ask your local agency to help you file for a fair hearing or write directly to:

            Department of Administration 

            Division of Hearings and Appeals

            PO Box 7875

            Madison, WI  53707-7875

Or: call (608) 264-9854

Or: complete the Request a Fair Hearing form found on:

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/Divisions/Hearings-and-appeals/request-hearing

If the fair hearing request is for FoodShare only, you can call the Southern Consortium Call Center at 1-888-794-5780.  Your request can be made verbally, in person, or by telephone to your local agency.

The WHEAP program is administered by a different State department than FoodShare and BadgerCare and applications are processed in a separate and different system. Staff may not be able to view or use the documents that you have provided for other programs once they have been filed as a case record. To avoid confusion and delays, it is highly recommended you indicate on the documents whether you are submitting the documents for WHEAP purposes vs. FoodShare and BadgerCare Plus purposes. We also encourage you to write a case number or applicant ID number as well.

Contact VEYO to schedule a ride at 1 (866) 907-1493.  

Veyo Wisconsin – Wisconsin Medicaid and BadgerCare Plus Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (ridewithveyo.com)

Visit the website: www.healthcare.gov or call: 1 (800) 318-2596