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ForwardHealth

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ForwardHealth brings together many Department of Health Services health care and nutritional assistance benefit programs with the goal of improving health outcomes for members and creating efficiencies for providers. To learn more about a program, click on the program name listed below.

BadgerCare Plus
BadgerCare Plus is a program that provides health care coverage for eligible low-income Wisconsin residents.

Care4Kids
Care4Kids provides health care coverage to children and youth in out-of-home care in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington, and Waukesha counties.

Family Planning Only Services
The Family Planning Only Services Program provides certain family planning-related services to prevent unplanned pregnancies. This coverage is for both men and women.

Long-Term Care Programs
Read about long-term care based on individual needs.

Katie Beckett
Katie Beckett Medicaid provides health care coverage for eligible children under age 19 who have long-term disabilities or complex medical needs and who live with their family.

Medicaid Purchase Plan (MAPP)
MAPP offers people with disabilities who are working or interested in working the opportunity to buy health care coverage through Wisconsin Medicaid.

Prescription Drug Programs

Wisconsin Chronic Disease Program (WCDP)
WCDP offers help to Wisconsin residents with chronic renal disease, hemophilia, and adult cystic fibrosis.

Wisconsin Medicaid
Wisconsin’s Medicaid provides health care coverage for those who:

  • Are age 65 or older, blind, or disabled
  • Have family income at or below the monthly program limit
  • Are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants

Wisconsin Well Woman Program
The Wisconsin Well Woman Program covers certain screenings for some of the most common women's health concerns.

Wraparound Milwaukee
Wraparound Milwaukee coordinates care for youth 0-23 years old in Milwaukee County who have serious behavioral, emotional, and mental health needs to help them stay in their home and/or community.

Commodity Supplemental Food Program
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program offers free, nutritious foods to low-income seniors age 60 and older. The monthly food package, worth about $35, is available at no cost to eligible individuals.

Emergency Food Assistance
The Emergency Food Assistance Program is a federal program that provides food commodities to distribution sites. Food pantries and prepared meal sites receive commodities and they are distributed with other foods.

Elderly Nutrition
Call your county or tribal aging office for the locations in your community where you can join other seniors for a nutritious meal served in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Newcomers are welcome.

FoodShare Wisconsin
FoodShare is a program that helps eligible low-income Wisconsin residents buy the food they need for good health.

Free and Reduced School Lunch
Parents or guardians who wish to apply for free or reduced-price meal benefits must contact the school where their child attends to obtain the appropriate Federal Child Nutrition Program applications.

Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
The purpose of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is to promote and maintain the health and well-being of nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children.

Caretaker Supplement
Caretaker Supplement is a cash benefit available to parents who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income payments.

Child Care
Wisconsin’s Child Care Subsidy program, Wisconsin Shares, helps families pay for child care. If the parent is eligible, child care can be subsidized for children under the age of 13 (up to 19 if special needs).

Energy Assistance (WHEAP)
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) provides assistance for heating costs, electric costs, and energy crisis situations.

Kinship Care
Kinship Care is designed to help support a child who resides outside his or her own home, either temporarily or for the long term, with the relative, such as an adult brother or sister, a first cousin, a nephew or niece, an uncle or aunt, or a grandparent.

Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership
The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Insurance Partnership Program is a joint effort between the federal Medicaid program, long-term care insurers, and the state of Wisconsin. Its purpose is to encourage people to make plans for how they will meet their future long-term care needs.

Medigap
Are you a Medicare beneficiary or thinking about long term care costs? Counselors at the Medigap Helpline can help you navigate your Medicare supplemental insurance and clarify many other related and sometimes confusing issues.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is a monthly cash benefit paid by the federal Social Security Administration and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to people in financial need who are 65 or older or people of any age who are blind or disabled and residents of Wisconsin.

Tax Credits
You may be able to get certain tax credits depending on how much you make.

Wisconsin Works (W-2)
The W-2 program is available to parents of minor children whose family income is below 115% of the federal poverty level.

  • Information on how to apply, including agency addresses and phone numbers
  • ACCESS, which is an online tool that lets you:
    • See which programs can help you.
    • Apply for benefits.
    • Check your benefits.
    • Report changes.
    • Renew your benefits.

Glossary

 
Last revised June 14, 2024