Wisconsin Long-Term Care Insurance
Compare Wisconsin Plans, Costs & Coverage Options
For more than 30 years, ACACIA Insurance has helped Wisconsin residents plan for their long-term care needs. As fully independent advisors, we compare long-term care insurance plans and highly rated companies to provide personalized, unbiased recommendations.
We review benefits, features, and pricing to help you choose the long-term care insurance coverage that fits your goals and your budget.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Do I Need Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin?
- Wisconsin Long-Term Care Costs
- Medicare and Long-Term Care in Wisconsin
- When To Buy Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
- Types of Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Long-Term Care Partnership Program
- Long-Term Care Insurance Companies in Wisconsin
- Cost of Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
- FAQs About Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Do I Need Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin?
Many Wisconsin residents are surprised by how likely long-term care becomes later in life and by how quickly costs can add up. Care needs often arise suddenly, and expenses vary widely across the state. This makes advance planning especially important. The facts below provide a clearer picture of long-term care risks and costs in Wisconsin and can help you determine whether long-term care insurance is a good fit for your situation.
The Likelihood of Needing Care
Wisconsin residents face the same long-term care risks as the rest of the country. Nearly 70% of people turning 65 today will need some form of long-term care in the future, with an average duration of about three years.1
How Long Care Lasts
For Wisconsin families, this means planning ahead is essential. While one-third of people may never need long-term care, 20% will need it for longer than 5 years. On average, women need 3.7 years of care while men need 2.2 years.2
Care Costs in Wisconsin
In 2026, the average for 3 years of long-term care in Wisconsin is $375,666, or about $125,222 per year. By 2046, that figure is projected to rise to $747,492, or $249,164 per year.3
Wisconsin Long-Term Care Costs
Long-term care costs vary across Wisconsin. A private nursing home room runs $112,330 a year in La Crosse-Onalaska and $166,031 in St. Croix & Pierce Counties. The table below shows 2026 figures for the state and its largest regions. Expand it to see all 14.
Long-Term Care Costs in Wisconsin 2026 | |||
| Region | Nursing Home (private room) annual / monthly | Assisted Living (private room) annual / monthly | Home Health Aide (44 hrs/week) annual / monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Average | $125,222 $10,435 a month | $73,160 $6,097 a month | $80,917 $6,743 a month |
| Appleton | $132,003 $11,000 a month | $76,969 $6,414 a month | $86,934 $7,245 a month |
| Eau Claire | $139,188 $11,599 a month | $74,713 $6,226 a month | $80,836 $6,736 a month |
| Green Bay | $124,317 $10,360 a month | $72,595 $6,050 a month | $84,267 $7,022 a month |
| Madison | $149,607 $12,467 a month | $76,738 $6,395 a month | $83,052 $6,921 a month |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $149,773 $12,481 a month | $75,481 $6,290 a month | $83,775 $6,981 a month |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $137,338 $11,445 a month | $89,333 $7,444 a month | $78,735 $6,561 a month |
| Source: Nationwide Financial 2026 Cost of Care Survey (HVS), accessed October 2, 2026. Monthly figures are the annual cost divided by twelve. | |||
| Region | Nursing Home (private room) annual / monthly | Assisted Living (private room) annual / monthly | Home Health Aide (44 hrs/week) annual / monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton | $132,003 $11,000 a month | $76,969 $6,414 a month | $86,934 $7,245 a month |
| Douglas County | $137,051 $11,421 a month | $71,200 $5,933 a month | $86,357 $7,196 a month |
| Eau Claire | $139,188 $11,599 a month | $74,713 $6,226 a month | $80,836 $6,736 a month |
| Fond du Lac | $116,311 $9,693 a month | $77,186 $6,432 a month | $97,644 $8,137 a month |
| Green Bay | $124,317 $10,360 a month | $72,595 $6,050 a month | $84,267 $7,022 a month |
| Janesville-Beloit | $125,453 $10,454 a month | $75,938 $6,328 a month | $81,417 $6,785 a month |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $112,330 $9,361 a month | $58,468 $4,872 a month | $72,597 $6,050 a month |
| Madison | $149,607 $12,467 a month | $76,738 $6,395 a month | $83,052 $6,921 a month |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $149,773 $12,481 a month | $75,481 $6,290 a month | $83,775 $6,981 a month |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $141,745 $11,812 a month | $89,831 $7,486 a month | $85,957 $7,163 a month |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $137,338 $11,445 a month | $89,333 $7,444 a month | $78,735 $6,561 a month |
| Sheboygan | $145,063 $12,089 a month | $74,923 $6,244 a month | $98,232 $8,186 a month |
| St. Croix & Pierce Counties | $166,031 $13,836 a month | $71,317 $5,943 a month | $100,395 $8,366 a month |
| Wausau | $123,338 $10,278 a month | $76,073 $6,339 a month | $69,287 $5,774 a month |
Medicare and Long-Term Care in Wisconsin
Medicare 
is built for short recoveries. It covers a skilled nursing facility only after a three-day hospital stay. The first 20 days are covered in full. From day 21 through day 100, you pay $217 a day in 2026. After day 100, Medicare stops paying. Help with bathing, dressing or eating is never covered when it is the only care you need.
Wisconsin Medicaid pays for long-term care only after most of your savings are gone. A single applicant may keep no more than $2,000 in countable assets. A spouse living at home may keep between $50,000 and $162,660. A nursing home resident keeps $55 a month for personal needs. The rest of that income goes toward care.
A private nursing home room in Wisconsin averages $125,222 a year, about 8% above the national average of $115,988. Assisted living runs $73,160 and a home health aide $80,917.
Medicaid begins when your savings end. A private policy protects them while you still have them.
Learn more about Medicare and custodial care ➜
When To Buy Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
What is the right age to buy long-term care insurance? No single age fits everyone. Health, budget and goals all shape the answer. These patterns hold for most Wisconsin buyers:
- Mid 50s to early 60s. The most common window. Rates are still moderate, and health discounts remain within reach.
- Your 40s. Lower premiums and an easier approval, in exchange for more years of payments.
- Late 60s and beyond. Still workable for many. Pricing climbs, declines happen more often and discounts usually disappear.
Nursing home costs in Wisconsin rise about 3.5% a year. Madison runs closer to 5%. Those increases build on each other until the day you need care. Inflation protection lets your benefit grow to keep pace.
Already past 65? Do not assume it is too late. Carriers underwrite to different standards, and products vary just as widely. Plenty of applicants at that age still qualify. A licensed specialist can review your situation and put real numbers next to it.
Find Out If You QualifyTypes of Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
Wisconsin residents can choose from several long-term care insurance options, each designed to help cover care at home, in assisted living, or in a nursing facility. Understanding how traditional long-term care insurance, hybrid life/LTC policies, LTC annuities, and short-term care plans differ can help you decide which type fits your budget, health, and long-term planning goals.
Traditional Long-Term Care Insurance
What It Is: A standalone policy specifically designed to cover comprehensive long-term care expenses, including in-home care, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes. These policies are fully portable and provide coverage wherever you receive care.
Coverage Benefits: Provides the most extensive long-term care coverage per dollar spent with flexible daily or monthly benefit amounts for your selected benefit period. Ideal for Wisconsin residents planning comprehensive care coverage.
Premium Structure: Recurring payments (monthly, quarterly, or annually). Premiums may experience rate adjustments over time based on insurance company claims experience.
Health Requirements: Requires full medical underwriting with stricter health qualifications than hybrid options. Your current health can significantly impact eligibility and premium costs for Wisconsin applicants.
Tax Advantages for Wisconsin Residents: Premiums for tax-qualified long-term care insurance policies may qualify as medical expenses for federal tax deductions (subject to income thresholds). Wisconsin also lets you subtract long-term care insurance premiums on your state return. Benefits received are generally tax-free.
Life Insurance with Long-Term Care Rider (Hybrid Life + LTC)
What It Is: A permanent life insurance policy with an added LTC benefit rider that allows policyholders to access the death benefit early for qualified long-term care expenses, regardless of where care is received.
Coverage Benefits: Typically provides 2 to 4% of the death benefit monthly for long-term care with guaranteed cash value growth. Unused benefits pass to beneficiaries tax-free.
Premium Structure: Guaranteed level premiums that NEVER increase. Higher initial cost than traditional LTC insurance but protected from future rate increases. Can provide important stability for Wisconsin residents on fixed incomes.
Health Requirements: Moderate medical underwriting with more flexible health guidelines than traditional LTC insurance, making qualification easier for many Wisconsin applicants with health issues.
Tax Advantages for Wisconsin Residents: Can utilize 1035 exchanges from appropriate existing policies without tax consequences and can be funded with qualified retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k)s).
Annuity with Long-Term Care Rider (LTC Annuity)
What It Is: A fixed rate or indexed deferred annuity contract with an integrated long-term care benefit rider, ideal for those seeking asset protection with a simplified approval process. Coverage is portable and can be used anywhere care is needed.
Coverage Benefits: Typically multiplies your annuity value by 2 to 3 times for long-term care expenses. For example, a $100,000 annuity might provide $200,000-$300,000 in LTC coverage. If not exhausted for healthcare, the annuity value transfers to your estate at death.
Premium Structure: Can be purchased with a single premium payment with NO future premium payments or rate increases. Best for Wisconsin residents with existing assets to reposition for long-term care planning.
Health Requirements: Simplified underwriting with the most lenient health qualifications, sometimes requiring only a phone interview rather than medical exams or records review. Ideal for Wisconsin residents with health concerns.
Tax Advantages for Wisconsin Residents: Supports tax-free 1035 exchanges from existing annuities, and LTC benefits are generally received tax-free under current federal tax rules.
Short-Term Care Insurance
What It Is: A policy that provides coverage for care in a nursing home, assisted living, or at home for a shorter duration, typically up to 12 months. Coverage is portable and can be used wherever you need short-term care.
Coverage Benefits: Helps cover costs for short-term care needs, including recovery from surgery, illness, or injury. Most policies have a 0-day deductible with benefits paid as soon as you qualify. This bridges gaps before long-term care insurance or Medicare coverage begins for services like home health aides.
Premium Structure: Generally lower than long-term care insurance due to the shorter benefit period, making it an affordable option for many Wisconsin families.
Health Requirements: Often features simplified underwriting with fewer health questions, making it easier to qualify. Very helpful for Wisconsin residents who may not meet traditional long-term care insurance health or age requirements.
Wisconsin Long-Term Care Partnership Program
The Wisconsin Long-Term Care Partnership covers qualified policies bought on or after January 1, 2009. Each dollar such a policy pays in benefits protects a dollar of your savings. Suppose your policy has paid $200,000. You could keep $200,000 in assets, plus the $2,000 any single applicant may hold, and still qualify for Wisconsin Medicaid. Income and the other eligibility rules still apply.
Partnership status depends on inflation protection that fits your age at purchase. Under 61, benefits must compound annually at 3% or more. From 61 through 75, at least 3% simple protection is required. At 76 and older, it is optional.
Wisconsin can seek repayment from the estates of Medicaid recipients for certain services received after age 55. The state exempts the assets your Partnership policy protected. Those can pass to your family.
That is the real appeal. Your policy pays first, and if it ever runs out, the savings it shielded remain yours.
Learn how Long-Term Care Partnership programs work nationwide ➜
Long-Term Care Insurance Companies in Wisconsin
Wisconsin residents have access to long-term care insurance from a wide range of trusted, financially strong carriers. We work with multiple top-rated LTC insurance providers to help you find a plan that fits your age, health, and budget, whether you’re looking for a traditional policy or a hybrid life + LTC option.
Below is a list of long-term care insurance companies available in Wisconsin:
USAA member? Explore USAA long-term care coverage ➜
AARP member? Review AARP long-term care insurance ➜
- Bankers Life & Casualty
- Brighthouse Financial
- Global Atlantic
- LifeSecure Insurance Company
- Lincoln Financial Group (MoneyGuard)
- Mutual of Omaha
- National Guardian Life (NGL)
- Nationwide Life Insurance Company
- New York Life
- Northwestern Mutual
- Securian Financial
- State Farm
- State Life Insurance Company (OneAmerica)
- Thrivent Financial
These companies offer a mix of traditional and asset-based (hybrid) long-term care insurance policies. Availability and pricing vary based on your age, health history, and the type of coverage you need.
Read reviews and ratings of long-term care insurance companies ➜
Cost of Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
Traditional long-term care insurance costs in Wisconsin range from $1,500 to $5,000+ annually, depending on your age, health, and coverage choices. Most people pay between $2,000 and $3,000 per year for comprehensive coverage.
Several factors influence your premium:
- Age at purchase: Buying at 55 vs 65 can save thousands over time
- Current health status: Better health means lower rates
- Daily or monthly benefit amount: Typically $100 to $300 per day
- Total coverage limit: Usually $100,000 to $500,000+
- Elimination period: 30, 60, or 90-day waiting period before benefits start
- Inflation protection: Protects against rising care costs
Wisconsin Long-Term Care Insurance Quotes
Our licensed Wisconsin professionals offer objective guidance on a wide range of long-term care insurance products and strategies. You’ll receive personalized service including:
✔ Finding the right coverage that fits your budget and protection needs
✔ Getting matched with Wisconsin’s top-rated carriers based on your specific situation
✔ Helping you secure coverage even with pre-existing health conditions
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FAQs About Long-Term Care Insurance in Wisconsin
Most Wisconsin buyers pay $2,000 to $3,000 a year for traditional coverage. That is about $167 to $250 a month. The full range runs $1,500 to $5,000 a year, or $125 to $417 a month. Your age, health, benefit amount, waiting period and inflation option set the price.
A private nursing home room averages $10,435 a month statewide in 2026. Assisted living runs $6,097. Those figures come from the Nationwide Financial 2026 Cost of Care Survey. Over a year, they total $125,222 and $73,160.
A comprehensive policy pays toward assisted living up to the benefit you choose. Assisted living in Wisconsin averages $6,097 a month. A monthly benefit near that figure would cover an average room. Benefits begin after a waiting period you select at purchase. Medicare does not pay for assisted living.
Comprehensive policies do. A home health aide in Wisconsin averages $80,917 a year at 44 hours a week, or $6,743 a month. Traditional, hybrid life and LTC annuity coverage can all pay for care at home as well as in a facility. Benefits usually begin once you need help with two of six daily activities, such as bathing or dressing, or need supervision because of cognitive impairment. A waiting period you choose at purchase applies first. Short-term care insurance, also sold in Wisconsin, can cover home care too.
The Madison region includes Middleton. A private nursing home room there averages $149,607 a year, or $12,467 a month. That is $24,385 above the state average. Assisted living runs $76,738 a year, or $6,395 a month. A home health aide averages $83,052 a year, or $6,921 a month.
Milwaukee-Waukesha averages $149,773 a year for a private nursing home room, or $12,481 a month. Appleton averages $132,003, or $11,000 a month. Assisted living runs $6,290 a month in Milwaukee-Waukesha and $6,414 in Appleton. A home health aide averages $6,981 a month in Milwaukee-Waukesha and $7,245 in Appleton.
Last updated: October 2, 2026
Written by: Craig Matesky, President, ACACIA Insurance
Reviewed by: Mike Berger, National Sales Manager
Sources: