Wisconsin · state plan
Medicaid Personal Care Services (PCS) in Wisconsin
Personal Care Services is a Wisconsin Medicaid (ForwardHealth) State Plan benefit that pays for hands-on help with daily tasks at home. Care must be ordered by a prescriber and delivered by a worker employed by a certified personal care agency, so a family member gets paid by working for that agency.
Also called: PCS · personal care Wisconsin · ForwardHealth personal care · Medicaid personal care agency · personal care worker
Who do you care for?
Quick facts
- Pay
- Set by the agency
- Adult children & other relatives
- Yes
- Spouse
- Not right now
- Parent of a minor child
- Not right now
- Waitlist
- none
Who qualifies for PCS
- Enrolled in Wisconsin Medicaid (BadgerCare Plus or Medicaid fee-for-service; HMO members get PCS through their plan).
- Needs help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, toileting, transfers, mobility, grooming or eating.
- Has a written order from a prescribing provider and a plan of care from a registered nurse after a home visit.
- Hours beyond 50 per calendar year need prior authorization.
Who can be paid as the caregiver
- Adult children & other relatives Yes
- a relative who is not legally responsible for the member can be hired by a certified personal care agency as the member's worker.
- Spouse Not right now
- DHS 107.112(4)(d) says personal care is not covered when provided by a responsible relative under s. 49.90, Stats., which includes a spouse.
- Parent of a minor child Not right now
- parents of a child under 18 are responsible relatives under s. 49.90, Stats., so their care is not covered.
- Living together
- not required by the rule.
Who employs the caregiver: Agency. The worker must be employed by or contracted with a personal care provider certified under DHS 105.17 and supervised by a registered nurse.
Spouse rules differ by program — see spouse pay in Wisconsin.
How much PCS pays
Set by the agency. Medicaid pays the certified personal care agency; the agency sets its workers' hourly wage. No worker wage is published by DHS for this program.
Hours and budget: An RN from the agency visits the home and writes a plan of care; the prescriber signs the order. Hours above 50 per calendar year need prior authorization from ForwardHealth. RN supervisory reviews happen at least every 60 days, and no more than one-third of the worker's time can go to housekeeping.
Compare with other Wisconsin programs on the Wisconsin caregiver pay page, or across states in pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist?
PCS is a Medicaid State Plan benefit; no waitlist is published. Finding an agency with staff can still take time.
How to apply for PCS
- Confirm the person has Wisconsin Medicaid (ForwardHealth) coverage.
- Ask the doctor or other prescriber to write an order for personal care services.
- Choose a certified personal care agency; the agency's RN does a home visit, writes the plan of care and requests prior authorization if needed.
- If a relative (not a spouse or parent of a minor) wants to be the worker, they apply to be hired by that agency and complete its training.
- Wisconsin Medicaid Member Services · 800-362-3002 · official site
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PCS questions
Can I get paid to care for my parent through Wisconsin personal care?
Yes, if a certified personal care agency hires you as your parent's worker. Medicaid pays the agency and the agency pays you.
Can a spouse be the paid personal care worker?
No. Wisconsin's rule says personal care is not covered when a responsible relative provides it, and a spouse is a responsible relative under state law. IRIS is the Wisconsin program that allows a spouse to be paid.
Can a parent be paid for a child's personal care?
Not for a child under 18 — parents of minors are responsible relatives. Once the child is an adult, a parent can be hired by an agency.
How many hours of personal care can I get?
The first 50 hours a calendar year need no prior authorization. More hours are approved by ForwardHealth based on the RN's plan of care.
Is PCS the same as IRIS or Family Care?
No. PCS is a regular Medicaid benefit delivered by an agency. IRIS and Family Care are long-term care programs with a budget and more services.
Sources: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov · oig.hhs.gov · dhs.wisconsin.gov · Updated 2026-10-08. Program rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Wisconsin caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Wisconsin — pick yours for the local picture.
Across the line
States that border Wisconsin
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.