Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently signed into law the 2025-27 state budget that will continue the Family Care Minimum Fee Schedule ($202.7 million) and the Direct Care Workforce Funding Initiative ($115 million). The continuation of this funding will ensure that seniors who rely on Medicaid – Family Care will maintain access to care and services. It also provides $2 million in additional funding for the WisCaregiver Careers program, a valuable pipeline to grow the long-term care workforce. The 2025-27 biennium began on July 1, 2025.
The $111.1 billion state budget was approved by the Senate by a 19-14 vote and by the Assembly by a 59-39 vote. Notable long-term care provisions include:
- Medical Assistance Cost-to-Continue. This funding reflects the estimated cost of continuing minimum fee schedule provisions included in the current Family Care contract, which is $258,000,000 annually.
- Personal Care Rate Increase. $6,348,400 in 2025-26 and $12,732,400 in 2026-27 to increase MA personal care reimbursement rates.
- SeniorCare Reestimate. Reduce funding by $25,438,100 in 2025-26 and by $18,892,200 in 2026- 27 to reflect a reestimate of benefit costs under the SeniorCare program.
- Home Health Reimbursement Rate Increase. Provide $294,300 in 2025-26 and $588,600 in 2026-27 to increase MA reimbursement rates for home visits performed by LPNs and RNs employed by home health agencies, effective January 1, 2026.
- WisCaregiver Careers. Provide $2,000,000 in 2025-26 to increase funding for the WisCaregiver Career program.
- Aging and Disability Resource Centers and Tribal Resource Specialists. Provide $1,256,600 in 2025-26 and $2,513,200 in 2026-27 to increase base allocations for the aging and disability resource centers (ADRCs).
- Independent Living Center Grants. Provide $305,400 GPR annually to increase grants for independent living centers (ILCs).
- State Supplemental Security Income and Caretaker Supplement Reestimate. Reduce funding by $5,228,300 PR annually to reflect estimates of the cost of funding supplemental security income (SSI) state supplements payments in the 2025-27 biennium.
- Health Care Provider Training Grants. Provide $1,000,000 GPR in 2025-26 to increase funding for the allied health professional education training program. Transfer $300,000 on a one-time basis in 2025-26 from the appropriation that funds advanced practice clinician training program to the appropriation that funds the allied health professional education training program.