Caring for a spouse is different from caring for a parent, financially and otherwise. Wisconsin's non-MAGI Medicaid rules include a Community Spouse Resource Allowance meant to keep the at-home spouse from being impoverished.
Short answer
Options that keep a couple together, and the spousal protections Medicaid provides.
What to do, in order
- Understand the spousal protections. Wisconsin's non-MAGI Medicaid rules include a Community Spouse Resource Allowance and a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance meant to protect the at-home spouse -- current figures were not confirmed from a primary source in our research pass, so confirm exact numbers with DHS or an elder law attorney before relying on them.
- Look at communities that keep couples together. Several campuses offer more than one level of care on one site.
- Be honest about your own health. Spousal caregivers routinely under-report their own decline.
- Get an objective assessment. The Area Agency on Aging serving your county can assess both of you at no cost.
