Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, working-age women scored higher than working-age men in terms of health. In fact, the female population attained the highest health score in a report by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. A similar trend exists among the state’s senior citizens. However, males from the working-age demographic fared better than their older, mostly-retired counterparts.
In 2012, nearly 12% of Wisconsin adults ranged from 65 to 84. Meanwhile, 2.3% of these adults exceeded 85 years of age. Estimates suggest that by 2030, the population of adults ages 65 to 84 will be 7% higher than that in 2012. At that time, 3% of Wisconsin’s residents will be aged 85 and above.
More than 73,000 Alzheimer’s patients sought care in nursing facilities in 2009. In 2011, over 188,000 caregivers provided services to individuals with dementia. According to calculations by the Alzheimer’s Association, by 2020, approximately 110,000 adults in Wisconsin will have Alzheimer’s.
Cost of Care
Below are the average daily cost* of long term care services in Wisconsin.
| City | Nursing Facility1 | Assisted Living1 | Adult Day Care2 | Home Health Aide3 |
| Green Bay | $265 | $104 | N/A | $138 |
| Madison | $270 | $130 | $66 | $144 |
| Milwaukee | $272 | $103 | $57 | $144 |
| Racine | $277 | $105 | $56 | $120 |
Notes:
*Costs are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
1Daily average for a private room.
2Based on five days of care per week.
3Based on six hours of care per day, five days per week.
Insurance Options
On January 1, 2009, the Long Term Care Partnership in Wisconsin became effective. MutualCare Solutions, a product by Mutual of Omaha, was permitted for Partnership on September 30, 2013. While the Compound insurance option for some states ranges from 1% to 5%, it ranges from 3% to 5% in Wyoming and other states.
MedAmerica modified the preferred health and spousal discounts for its FlexCare LTCI product on October 2013. Changes include the removal of the payment method through credit card and updates to the spousal discount percentage.
TransCare® III from Transamerica Life Insurance Company can now be purchased in Wisconsin. This product has an increased daily benefit amount of $500, and comes with a 1-year elimination period. Discount for couples is now at 30%.
Policies from American General Life, Country Life, Genworth, John Hancock, Northwestern Mutual, Prudential, and UNUM Life also qualify for the state’s LTCI Partnership. The headquarters of Northwestern Mutual is located in Milwaukee.
State Long Term Care Programs
Wisconsin does not have the regular Medigap plans; instead, the state offers the Wisconsin Basic Plan. This kind of Medicare Supplement plan features co-insurance with a skilled care facility and 40 home health care visits, which is more than the default for Medicare.
Skilled care and home health care coverage under Medicare should include the mandated benefits from Wisconsin insurance law, with the exception of Medicare Advantage Plans.
Furthermore, the state’s Medicaid program will not expand its coverage for 2014. Both working-age and older adults, except for pregnant women, qualify if they attain 95% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Children and teens who might need long term care should meet 151% of the FPL.
More Resources
To get more specific information regarding long term care services and insurance options in Wisconsin, please check the following websites:
Wisconsin Department of Health Services
Comes with long term care resources that categorize the needs of adults and children.
Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
Provides knowledge to people who are interested in getting insured for long term care.
Aging and Disability Resource Center
Helps not only care dependents but also their caregivers.
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