Medicaid Eligibility Handbook
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  4. 25.4 Widow/Widower Group

State of Wisconsin
Department of Health Services

Release 26-03
August 12, 2026

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25.4 Widow/Widower Group

  1. 25.4.1 Introduction
  2. 25.4.2 Identifying a Widow/Widower Group
  3. 25.4.3 Determining the Income Disregard for Widow/Widower Group

25.4.1 Introduction

Section 1634(d) of the Social Security Act requires states to consider certain widows, widowers, and surviving ex-spouses who lost SSI eligibility as if they were still SSI recipients for Medicaid purposes so long as they would have remained otherwise eligible for SSI benefits but for their entitlement to Social Security Widow/Widower benefits (SSDW or SSWW).

25.4.2 Identifying a Widow/Widower Group

Someone qualifies as a Widow/Widower group for Medicaid purposes if they meet the following criteria:

  1. They are currently receiving a Social Security widow/widower’s (SSDW or SSWW) payment.
  2. They are not entitled to Medicare Part A.
  3. They received an SSI benefit (or they were a 1619 participant) the month before their SSDW or SSWW benefits began, and lost SSI/1619 due to excess income when they started receiving the SSDW or SSWW payment.
Note People who lost SSI due to receiving SSDW or SSWW payments, but who do not qualify for the Widow/Widower disregard because they receive Medicare, must be treated as a 503 group (see SECTION 25.3 503 GROUP).

25.4.3 Determining the Income Disregard for Widow/Widower Group

When Medicaid eligibility is determined for someone who meets Widow/Widower criteria, the entire SSDW or SSWW payment is disregarded.

This page last updated in Release Number: 24-03
Release Date: 12/18/2024
Effective Date: 12/18/2024

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