State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 26-01 February 21, 2026

4.1 Apply for Benefits Introduction

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Application for Benefits Medicare Savings Program

Wisconsin has many different programs that can help people with health care coverage, long-term care, food assistance, child care assistance, employment, utility costs, and more. A single ACCESS application allows applicants to apply for multiple programs at once. This chapter explains how to help with ACCESS applications.

ACCESS can be used to apply for:

• Emergency Assistance
• FoodShare
• Job Access Loans
• Wisconsin Shares Child Care
• Wisconsin Works (W-2)
• BadgerCare Plus
• Medicaid for the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled
• Medicaid Purchase Plan
• Medicare Saving Programs
• Institutional Medicaid
• Katie Beckett Medicaid (KBM)
• Family Planning Only Services
• Caretaker Supplement (CTS)

Application Process Overview

1. Gather Documents 
   While applicants don't need to provide any documents when answering questions, having the following on hand can help them answer accurately:
   • Pay stubs
   • Bank account statements
   • Utility bills
2. Provide Personal and Household Information 
   Applicants must be ready to provide personally identifiable information for each household member, such as:
   • Name
   • Contact Information

   Note	Some questions may be optional depending on the programs the applicant is applying for. Answering all questions, both required and optional, helps the decision process move quicker.

3. Choose a Section to Start 
   If the applicant chooses to complete application sections on their own, from the overview page, they can choose which section to start first. Each section includes pages and questions related to their household, such as:
   • Income
   • Bills
   • Health Insurance 

   Note	Some sections may only become available after others are completed. Applicants are only asked questions relevant to the programs selected. Applicants can submit without completing all sections.

4. Review and Edit 
   Each section begins with an introduction page and ends with a summary page. Applicants can edit answers at any time before submitting the application.
5. Complete Within 30 Days
   Once they start the application, the applicant has 30 days to complete it before it expires.
6. Submit Application 

   Applicants can submit their application after their sections are completed and the signature is provided. If they choose to submit before completing all sections, a submission page displays basic household questions for them to answer. After submitting, a filing date is set. For more details, see SECTION 4.12 USING ACCESS TO SET A FILING DATE.

   The agency follows up with the applicant to complete their full application if any sections were incomplete.

7. Track Application
   After the applicant completes the application, they can track the next steps and their application status on the account homepage.

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Notice: The content within this guide is the responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS) and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD).

Publication Number: P-16101