2.4 The BadgerCare Plus Household

"Living in the Household” means all individuals residing in or temporarily absent (3.5.1) from the same residence. This includes:

People living in the home in a community residential confinement program. The Department of Corrections (DOC) electronically monitors them.
Huber law prisoners who are released from jail to attend to the needs of their families can become eligible for BadgerCare Plus. If the other parent is continuously absent, the Huber law prisoner may be the caretaker relative in the household if the prisoner:

1. Intends to return to the home, and
2. Continues to be involved in the planning of the support and care of the minor children.

Huber Law prisoners who are released for a purpose other than attending to the needs of their families are not eligible for BadgerCare Plus.

Consider them to be absent parents.

2.4.1 Not Living in the Household

Do not consider the following to be living in the household regardless of whether non-MAGI rules or MAGI rules were used to determine a member’s BadgerCare Plus group:

Inmates of a public institution, even if they are temporarily absent from the home with the following exceptions:
1. Pregnant inmates applying for the BadgerCare Plus Prenatal Program.
2. If an inmate resides outside of a public correctional institution for more than 24 hours at any one time, he or she can qualify for BadgerCare Plus during that time period if he or she meets all other eligibility criteria. For example, if an inmate is admitted as an inpatient to a non-prison hospital for 24 hours, that inmate could qualify for Medicaid for that day, if otherwise eligible.

2.4.2 Temporary Absence

A child and that child's parent or caretaker relative can be in the same BadgerCare Plus Test Group even when not living together if either is temporarily absent, provided:

The continuous absence is expected to be for no more than six months.

The IM agency may approve an extension of a child's temporary absence beyond six months when the caretaker relatives meet the Child Welfare Caretakers requirements.

and

The caretaker relative continues to exercise responsibility for the care and control of the child. See Chapter 10 for more information about Child Welfare.

The following children are not considered temporarily absent:

Children who are inmates of public institutions. (3.6)
Children who are placed in an institution for 30 or more days, unless they were placed there by a child welfare agency.
Children who are placed in an IMD , unless they were placed there by a child welfare agency.

2.4.3 Students

When a child under age 19 who is a student living away from their parent’s home applies for BadgerCare Plus, the child and his or her family can determine whether the student will be on his or her own case, or a temporarily absent individual included in his or her parent’s case.

Students over age 19 will need to apply for BadgerCare Plus with their own application.

This page last updated in Release Number: 13-02

Release Date: 10/25/13

Effective Date: 10/01/13