Wis. Stat. § 45.40 — WI Code / Chapter 45 / Section 45.40
Assistance to needy veterans.
Status: in_force

(1g) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Health care provider” means an advanced practice registered nurse who may issue prescription orders under s. 441.09 (2) , an audiologist who is licensed under subch. II of ch. 459 or who holds a compact privilege under subch. III of ch. 459 , a dentist who is licensed under subch. I of ch. 447 or who holds a compact privilege under subch. II of ch. 447 , an optometrist who is licensed under ch. 449 , a physician who is licensed under s. 448.02 , or a podiatrist who is licensed under s. 448.63 .

(b) “Illness” or “injury” means a physical or mental health problem that has been diagnosed by a health care provider acting within the scope of the health care provider’s license.

(1m) Subsistence aid.

(a) The department may provide subsistence payments to a veteran on a month-to-month basis or for a 3-month period. The department may pay subsistence aid for a 3-month period if the veteran will be incapacitated for more than 3 months and if earned or unearned income or aid from sources other than those listed in the application will not be available in the 3-month period. The department may provide subsistence payments only to a veteran who has suffered a loss of income due to illness, injury, or natural disaster. The department may grant subsistence aid under this subsection to a veteran whose loss of income is the result of abuse of alcohol or other drugs only if the veteran is participating in an alcohol and other drug abuse treatment program that is approved by the department. No payment may be made under this subsection if the veteran has other assets or income available to meet basic subsistence needs or if the veteran is eligible to receive aid from other sources to meet those needs. When determining the assets available to the veteran, the department may not include the first $50,000 of cash surrender value of any life insurance policy.

(b) The maximum amount that any veteran may receive under this subsection per occurrence during a consecutive 12-month period may not exceed $3,000.

(1t) Completion of health care forms. A health care provider may complete the medical forms necessary for the receipt of aid under this section if the provider has diagnosed the veteran and determined the veteran’s medical condition.

(2) Health care.

(a) The department may provide health care aid to a veteran for dental care, including dentures; vision care, including eyeglass frames and lenses; and hearing care, including hearing aids.

(c) The department may not provide health care aid under this subsection unless the aid recipient’s health care provider agrees to accept, as full payment for the health care provided, the amount of the payment, the amount of the recipient’s health insurance or other 3rd-party payments, if any, and the amount that the department determines the veteran is capable of paying. The department may not pay health care aid under this subsection if the liquid assets of the veteran are in excess of $1,000. When determining the liquid assets of the veteran, the department may not include the first $50,000 of cash surrender value of any life insurance policy.

(2m) Dependents eligibility.

(a) The unremarried spouse and dependent children of a veteran who died on active duty, or in the line of duty while on active or inactive duty for training purposes, in the U.S. armed forces or forces incorporated in the U.S. armed forces are eligible to receive payments under subs. (1m) and (2) if the household income of those persons does not exceed the income limitations established under sub. (3m) .

(b) The spouse and dependent children of a member of the U.S. armed forces or of the Wisconsin national guard who has been activated or deployed to serve in the U.S. armed forces who are residents of this state, who have suffered a loss of income due to that activation or deployment, and who experience an economic emergency during the member’s activation or deployment are eligible to receive assistance under subs. (1m) and (2) .

(3) Limitations. The total cumulative amount that any veteran may receive under this section may not exceed $7,500.

(3m) Rules. The department shall promulgate rules establishing eligibility criteria and household income limits for payments under subs. (1m) , (2) , and (2m) . The department may not include in the rules establishing eligibility criteria and household income limits any consideration of the first $50,000 of cash surrender value of any life insurance that is available to the veteran’s household.

(4) Appropriations. The department may make payments under this section from the appropriation in s. 20.485 (2) (vm) . Nothing in this section empowers the department to incur any state debt.

(5) Joint finance supplemental funding. The department may submit a request to the joint committee on finance for supplemental funds from the veterans trust fund to be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.485 (2) (vm) to provide payments under this section. The joint committee on finance may, from the appropriation under s. 20.865 (4) (u) , supplement the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (vm) in an amount equal to the amount that the department expects to expend under this section. If the cochairpersons of the committee do not notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the request for a supplement within 14 working days after the date of the department’s notification, the supplement to the appropriation is approved. If, within 14 working days after the date of the department’s notification, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the proposed supplement, the supplement may occur only upon approval of the committee.

History: 2005 a. 22 , 25 ; 2007 a. 20 ; 2009 a. 37 , 113 ; 2011 a. 258 ; 2023 a. 56 , 88 ; 2025 a. 17 , 138 .