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Who Qualifies for Assisted Living Financial Assistance in Wisconsin?
Date Updated: July 26, 2024
Written by:
Rachel Lustbader is a writer and editor with a background in healthcare and technology. Her work has been published on websites including HealthCare.com, BiteSizeBio.com, BetterHelp.com, Caring.com, and PayingforSeniorCare.com. She studied health science and public health at Boston University.
Both of Rachel’s grandmothers had very positive experiences in senior living communities, and Rachel saw firsthand the impact that kind, committed caregivers and community managers can have on seniors’ and their family members’ lives. With her work at Caring, Rachel hopes to help other families find communities, caregivers, and at-home products that benefit elderly loved ones and make life less stressful for family caregivers
Wisconsin offers Medicaid waivers to pay for care costs in an assisted living facility for seniors aged 65 and older who fall under the income limit of $18,075 a year for individuals and $24,353 for couples. The asset limit is $2,000. However, this does not include the applicant’s home if it’s valued under $906,000 in equity and is the applicant’s primary residence.
Non-Medicaid assistance programs in Wisconsin
Seniors who do not qualify for Medicaid may still qualify for one of Wisconsin’s state-funded assistance programs. These include the Wisconsin Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Exceptional Expense Supplement, which provides a monthly payment to seniors who require at least 40 hours of in-home care or supportive services in an assisted living community, and the SeniorCare Pharmaceutical Assistance Program, which allows seniors to purchase their medications for a small co-pay.
Average costs of assisted living in Wisconsin
According to Genworth’s 2021 Cost of Care Survey, assisted living in Wisconsin costs an average of $4,600 per month, just $100 more than the national average of $4,500. Cities with higher average costs include the Milwaukee area, which averages $5,324 per month, and Oshkosh, which averages $5,157. Costs are lower in Wausau, where assisted living costs $4,125 per month, and LaCrosse, which averages $4,263.