American Rescue Plan Act Funding for Home and Community-Based Services

Rate Increase for Long-Term Care Services Approved

The Wisconsin Medicaid reimbursement rate for home and community-based services (HCBS) will go up by 5% effective January 1, 2022, through March 31, 2024. The increase comes from federal funding authorized by Section 9817 of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Programs benefiting from the increase include:

• BadgerCare Plus Managed Care
• Care4Kids
• Children Come First
• Children’s Long-Term Support (CLTS) Waiver
• Family Care
• Family Care Partnership
• IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct)
• Medicaid fee-for-service state plan services
• Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
• SSI Managed Care
• Wraparound Milwaukee

HCBS providers serve Wisconsin’s frail elders and people of all ages with disabilities, enabling them to live independently or in home-like settings in the community. These services are essential to meeting their daily needs and avoiding unnecessary institutionalization. Further, HCBS are shown to be a cost-effective alternative to higher levels of care, such as nursing home placements and hospital services.

This 5% rate increase will help providers get adequate reimbursement to recruit staff and maintain this important system that delivers such critical care.

Providers eligible for the rate increase will receive follow-up communications from DHS with operational details. Services will need to be coded properly to be reimbursed at the new rate.

Resources

• Sign up to receive email notices with updates about Wisconsin’s plans for ARPA funding focused on HCBS.
• Learn more about Wisconsin’s plans to strengthen home and community-based services throughout the state.

Please do not reply directly to this email message. For more information about ARPA funding for HCBS, visit the project page on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website.