Learning Center . Learning BadgerCare Plus . Renewing BadgerCare

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Renewing BadgerCare Plus

Learn more about renewing BadgerCare Plus on access.wi.gov, and what to do if you missed the renewal date.

Click the buttons to jump to each section:

How to Renew

Missed the Renewal Deadline?

I Can't Renew

Renewing BadgerCare Plus in access.wi.gov

You must renew BadgerCare Plus every year. Plan to renew the 1st day of your renewal month. If you need help signing up or renewing, call Covering Wisconsin at 877-942-6837 or chat online by clicking the button in the bottom right corner.

To get started:

Go to access.wi.gov or the MyACCESS app
Click “Log in”. If you haven’t created an account, you’ll need your case number, ForwardHealth ID number, or QUEST card number.
Use the “Next” and “Back” arrows at the bottom of the application.

Steps to renew BadgerCare Plus:

Banner with green brushstroke background and white rectangle saying 'Renew My Benefits' in blue text.

1. Click “Renew my Benefits” on the left side of the access.wi.gov webpage.

A green renewal notice with black text, titled "Benefits to Renew Now:". It lists benefits with a checkbox next to "Health Care" and a due date placeholder "xx/xx/xxxx", indicating it is time to renew health care benefits.

2. Make sure it says “Benefits to Renew Now." Click on the benefits you want to renew. If it says “Benefits to Renew Later” don’t renew or you may lose your benefits early.

A green screen with six blue circular icons, each with white symbols and purple labels for navigation: People, Job Income, Bills, Other Benefits, Other Income, and Submit.

3. Answer all the questions in each section the best you can, and click “Next” when you are ready to go on.

If the question is hard to answer, click “comments” to explain and click “save” when you are done.
After each section, you will see your answers. Make sure you have answered the best you can and then click “Next.”
To change an answer, click “Edit”, “Erase”, or “Add”

A green form with a checkmark in a box and instructions to check the box and type a name to electronically sign a renewal. The form fields show first name 'JOHN', middle initial 'E.', and last name 'DOE'.

4. Read your “Member Rights” then go to the Electronic Signature box. Check the box and then type in your name.

When you type your name and click the box below, you are agreeing to the terms, and swearing all the information is true.

A digital notice with a red header that says, 'This is an example image!' followed by a blue bar labeled 'Details.' Below is an icon of two pages and text stating, 'View and Submit Proof. View and Submit documents to provide proof of your answers.'

5. Click “view and submit proof” to see what you need to submit, and submit your application. If you need to send documents you can upload them in the MyACCESS app, or choose from the list below:

Upload your documents on the website
Fax in your documents
Mail in your documents
Drop off your documents
Skip this step for now. You may log into MyACCESS later and revisit this step. If you don’t submit your documents by the due date, you will lose your benefits.

Renewal submitted!

If you can’t renew:

If you can’t renew, apply again. Apply on access.wi.gov or call your local agency. You will get a letter within 30 days telling you if you qualify.

If you’re denied, get free help from an expert at Covering Wisconsin. We can help you figure out your options. Click here to schedule a free appointment, or use the chat tool in the bottom right corner for help.

You can renew up to 90 days after your renewal date:

You must submit proof of income for all of the days your renewal was late. Examples include paycheck stubs, a letter from your employer, or a Social Security Income statement. If you are:

1 - 30 days late: BadgerCare Plus will automatically backdate (cover your doctor visits and prescriptions when you weren’t enrolled)

61 - 90 days late: Call your local agency and ask them to “reopen your case” for backdating.

Renewal deadlines and options chart showing four time periods: 15-45 days before renewal date, 1-30 days late, 31-90 days late, and 91+ days late. Highlights include best time to renew, automatic renewal, option to call local agency for backdating, and requirement to start a new application.

Watch for the “Next Steps” letter from the State of Wisconsin. It will be mailed to your house and you can find it in your access.wi.gov account. It will tell you what documents to send and the deadlines they are due.

You can upload documents on the MyACCESS app or mail them in. To find your local agency, go to www.dhs.wisconsin.gov. There are 11 agencies across the state called Income Maintenance or Economic Support agencies.

If you paid for a doctor visit or prescription:

After your renew, BadgerCare Plus can go back 90 days to pay your health care bills (Backdating). You can also get your money back if you already paid for a doctor visit or prescriptions. This is called a reimbursement.

Doctor visits: Tell the clinic you renewed BadgerCare Plus/Medicaid. Ask your clinic to resubmit the bill. If you already paid, ask for your money back.
Pharmacy: Ask the pharmacy to rerun your insurance. If you already paid, work with your pharmacy to get your money back. Each pharmacy is different, and you may only get a store credit instead of a reimbursement.

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You can download a printable PDF of this information

Click the image to download a copy in English and Spanish.

Instruction guide for renewing BadgerCare Plus benefits online, including steps for logging in, selecting benefits to renew, answering questions, and submitting the renewal, with website URL, phone contact, and QR code for help.