State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 26-02 April 15, 2026

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6.1 Residency Eligibility

6.1.1 Residency Eligibility Introduction

A person must be a Wisconsin resident to be eligible for Medicaid and must meet both of the following conditions:

1. Be physically present in Wisconsin. There is no minimum requirement for the length of time the person has been physically present in Wisconsin. Wisconsin residents who are temporarily out of state, (see Section 6.5 Absence from wisconsin), including students going to school in another state, do not have to be physically present to apply. However, individuals who are not Wisconsin residents and intend to move to Wisconsin must be physically present in Wisconsin to apply.
2. Express intent to reside in Wisconsin (see Section 6.2 Intent to Reside). An individual can be considered a resident of Wisconsin if they are physically present in the State and have entered Wisconsin with a job commitment or seeking employment, regardless of whether they are employed at the time of application.

Example 1

John, a student from Wisconsin who is attending college in Minnesota, can apply for Medicaid as a Wisconsin resident.

 

Example 2

Margie lives in Florida. She is planning to move to Wisconsin in the next few months. Margie is not considered a resident of Wisconsin until she is physically present in Wisconsin.

 

Example 3

This is George's first day in Wisconsin. He states that he intends to reside in Wisconsin. For Medicaid purposes, George is a Wisconsin resident.

6.1.2 Migrant Workers

A person who meets the definition of a migrant worker (see Section 31.1 Migrant Workers) meets the residency requirement if they are currently present in Wisconsin. They do not have to "intend to reside" in Wisconsin. Certain migrant workers qualify for a simplified application procedure (see BadgerCare Plus Handbook, Chapter 12 Migrant Workers).

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The information concerning the Medicaid program provided in this handbook release is published in accordance with: Titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act; Parts 430 through 481 of Title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations; Chapters 46 and 49 of the Wisconsin Statutes; and Chapters HA 3, DHS 2, 10 and 101 through 109 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code.

Notice: The content within this manual is the sole responsibility of the State of Wisconsin's Department of Health Services (DHS). This site will link to sites outside of DHS where appropriate. DHS is in no way responsible for the content of sites outside of DHS.

Publication Number: P-10030