2021 Federal Poverty Level Announced

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ForwardHealth Community Partners

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Updates for local agencies, community-based organizations, and providers who provide assistance to members of Wisconsin's health and nutrition public assistance programs.


2021 Federal Poverty Level Announced

The federal government has announced the 2021 federal poverty level, which has increased from the 2020 level. The federal poverty level is used to determine eligibility for Medicaid programs. The increase in the federal poverty level will result in changes to BadgerCare Plus and some Medicaid income limits. These income limits are used in eligibility determinations.

The 2021 federal poverty level will start being applied for those newly enrolling in BadgerCare Plus and Medicaid, beginning on February 1, 2021. For ongoing cases, the new federal poverty level will not start affecting eligibility until March 1, 2021.

This update to the federal poverty level does not affect the FoodShare program. The income eligibility limits used to determine eligibility for FoodShare are reviewed every fall.

The federal government also announced that monthly Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will have a cost-of-living adjustment increase of 1.3% in 2021. For more information, see the Social Security Administration’s 2021 Social Security Changes fact sheet.