State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Release 26-02 June 20, 2026

5.1 Apply for Benefits Introduction

Demo Videos

Application for Benefits Katie Beckett Medicaid Medicare Savings Program

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

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.

Applicants can start an application by creating an ACCESS account, logging into an existing ACCESS account, or for certain programs, applying as a guest. Guest registration has different rules. For guest-specific guidance, see CHAPTER 4 GUEST REGISTRATION. 

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. For example, Katie Beckett Medicaid, only the applicant's information is required. 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

   If the applicant creates an account or logs into an existing account to link the application, they have 30 days to complete it before it expires. For guest registration rules, including session timeout and unsaved work, see CHAPTER 4 GUEST REGISTRATION.

6. Submit Application 

   Applicants can submit their application by entering a name, address, and signature. From the Application Overview, the user can either select Start in Your information to begin filling out sections or Start in Finish and submit to immediately start the steps to submit their application. 
   
   If the user selects Start in Your information, they can choose which sections to fill out before submitting their application. Users can proceed to finish and submit their application at any point. 
   
   If a user selects Start in Finish and submit, have otherwise not provided enough information to submit their application (name, address, and signature), they will be taken to the A few questions about you page to provide this information. No other information is required prior to submission, but any additional information entered before the application is submitted is kept and sent with the application. After submitting, a filing date is set. For more details, see SECTION 5.12 USING ACCESS TO SET A FILING DATE.

7. Track Application
   After the applicant submits the application using guest registration or through their ACCESS account, they can review next steps in ACCESS.
   
   Applicants using their ACCESS account can track 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