Lowering Out-of-Pocket Costs Emphasized in Governor's Plans

It’s great to see that Governor Evers made it clear in his State of the State Address that state lawmakers have an obligation to do whatever they can to assure that all Wisconsin residents have the opportunity to live, work, play, thrive, and age with dignity and purpose.

That is also our goal at AARP Wisconsin as well, which is why we’re prioritizing issues that help we believe will help all Wisconsinites as they age. We were pleased that the governor recognizes the need to keep medications affordable, saying in his speech that “the costs of prescriptions and life-saving medication like insulin are also too darn high. According to a 2023 national survey, more than a quarter of adults in America are having a hard time affording their prescription drugs. It found 30 percent of adults aren’t taking medications as prescribed due to cost."

The governor said no Wisconsinite should have to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table or getting their life-saving medication. Accessing healthcare and picking up basic prescriptions or insulin should not break the bank, he said, and we agree.


We have also prioritized an issue that will impact nearly all state residents at some point in their lives – helping people to remain living in their own homes and communities as long as possible. We plan to work with the governor and state legislators over the next few months to send help to Wisconsin’s nearly 600,000 unpaid family caregivers, whom we refer to as Wisconsin’s unsung heroes.

In Wisconsin alone, family caregivers provide about 538 million hours of care every year to help their parents, spouses, partners, and others. They spend an average of about $7,000 per year on out-of-pocket costs related to this caregiving, while also working and raising their own families in many cases.

Family caregivers put in long hours helping loved ones with tasks such managing medications, preparing meals, paying bills, and providing transportation to church or doctor’s appointments. They even help with home modifications, such as installing wheelchair ramps, hand railings, or shower bars, to keep their loved ones safe in their homes.

“These caregivers are the backbone of Wisconsin’s long-term care system, but their work has largely gone unsupported. For years we at AARP Wisconsin have been focused on finding ways to provide some relief for these folks,” said AARP Wisconsin State Director Martha Cranley.

That’s why we will be pushing for a bill to be introduced in the state legislature (or included in the governor’s proposed 2025-27 budget) that would create an annual $500 caregiver tax credit to help caregivers offset some of the expenses they incur while providing care for loved ones.

This income tax credit could be used for certain expenses incurred by a caregiver to assist a qualified family member. But we will need your help to make that happen. We’re asking all of you to please contact your state lawmakers and urge them to support a caregiver tax credit bill.

With thousands of Baby Boomers retiring each day and fewer home health care workers available to take care of them, AARP believes that making small investments in caregivers now will lead to big savings for Wisconsin and much better care for families down the road.

Let your voice be heard and tell lawmakers that they can’t ignore the needs of so many Wisconsinites. Add your name and join the fight for family caregivers! If you are a family caregiver in need of additional resources and support, check out our Wisconsin Family Caregiver Resource guide, which has valuable information that might help you out. Here is the link to the guide: https://states.aarp.org/wisconsin/caregiver-resources