O’Rourke DSU

Eligibility

General

Wisconsin resident age 18 or older with a qualifying disability or frail-elder status; Medicaid financial eligibility and functional screening required; eligible community residence.

WI specifics

IRIS participants direct an individual budget and select or manage approved supports and providers within program requirements.

What it provides

• Authorized self-directed long-term supports may include personal assistance transportation home modifications meals and other assessed services.

Eligibility

General

Additional pension benefits for qualifying Veterans or survivors who satisfy VA pension eligibility and the medical requirements for Aid and Attendance or Housebound status; being an older veteran or spouse alone does not qualify.

WI specifics

This is a federal VA benefit rather than a state-specific grant; Aid and Attendance and Housebound benefits cannot be received together.

What it provides

• Increased monthly VA pension based on the applicable MAPR less countable income.

Eligibility

General

Wisconsin SSI recipients certified by a county agency, either in qualifying residential settings with expenses above the applicable SSI-E payment level or at home with at least 40 hours of primary long-term support services needed each month.

WI specifics

Eligible residential settings include licensed or certified adult family homes, qualifying CBRFs of 20 beds or fewer and certified residential care apartment complexes. Home-based recipients must pay their share of household costs. A county assessment and certification are required.

What it provides

• For an eligible individual an additional monthly cash benefit of up to $105.59 may be added to the state SSI payment. Couple amounts differ.

Eligibility

General

NFCSP serves eligible caregivers of older adults and specified relative caregivers of children or adults with disabilities; Wisconsin also has a separate Alzheimer Family and Caregiver Support Program.

WI specifics

National Family Caregiver Support and Alzheimer Family and Caregiver Support have distinct eligibility rules.

What it provides

• Caregiver counseling training respite and other approved supports.

Eligibility

General

Wisconsin resident age 65 or older who is a U.S; citizen or qualifying immigrant; not enrolled in full Medicaid; Other insurance including Medicare may be coordinated.

WI specifics

$30 annual enrollment fee per person and annual renewal; deductible and spenddown depend on income level.

What it provides

• Covered prescription assistance; Level 1 has no deductible; Levels 2A and 2B have $500 and $850 deductibles; Level 3 has spenddown then $850 deductible; Applicable covered-drug copays are $5 generic and $15 brand after requirements are met.

Eligibility

General

Wisconsin Medicare beneficiary meeting the applicable Medicare Savings Program rules; age 65 is not a universal requirement.

WI specifics

Wisconsin calls its QI category SLMB+; full Medicaid affects SLMB+ eligibility; Refer to state fact sheet for distinct benefits and counting rules.

What it provides

• QMB pays qualifying Medicare premiums and cost sharing; SLMB and SLMB+ pay the Part B or B-ID premium; QDWI pays qualifying Part A premiums.

Eligibility

General

Wisconsin households meeting WHEAP eligibility; benefits depend on household circumstances and available funding rather than senior status alone.

WI specifics

Current heating season is October 1 2026 through September 30 2027; benefit funding is not guaranteed.

What it provides

• Eligible heating electric crisis and heating-system assistance under WHEAP rules.

Eligibility

General

For tax year 2025: full-year Wisconsin legal residents age 18 or older who own or rent an eligible homestead and satisfy all credit requirements. The claimant or spouse must have earned income, be disabled or be age 62 or older at year-end.

WI specifics

The 2025 claim can generally be filed through April 15 2030. Tax-exempt housing and nursing-home residency while receiving Title XIX medical assistance can disqualify a claimant. This offsets eligible property tax or rent costs rather than paying for care.

What it provides

• A state tax credit based on household income and allowable property taxes or rent; meeting basic eligibility does not guarantee a positive credit.