Support Broker Services, LLC provides expert support brokerage for individuals enrolled in Wisconsin's long-term care programs, including IRIS, Family Care, Partnership, PACE, EBD, and COP. With over 30 years of experience, we help participants navigate self-directed care, create person-centered plans, and coordinate services to promote independence and quality of life. We proudly serve participants across Wisconsin—in person or virtually.

Understanding Long-Term Care in Wisconsin: How a Support Broker Can Help

Wisconsin offers a range of long-term care programs designed to help older adults and people with disabilities live independently. Whether you are enrolling in a Medicaid program or planning to pay privately, a support broker can be your guide—helping you understand your options, build your support system, and stay in control of your care.

Wisconsin’s Long‑Term Care Programs

Family Care

Family Care is a Medicaid managed care program for frail elders and adults with disabilities. You enroll with a Managed Care Organization (MCO) that coordinates your long‑term care services.

· How a support broker helps: Even within a managed care model, a support broker can help you understand your MCO choices (such as Anthem, Inclusa, or Molina/My Choice Wisconsin), review provider networks, and advocate if services aren’t meeting your needs. If you later transition to self‑direction, a support broker can ease that shift.

Family Care Partnership

Partnership combines Family Care long‑term care supports with full health coverage (medical, behavioral health, prescriptions) through a single MCO.

· How a support broker helps: A support broker helps you compare Partnership MCOs, ensures your long‑term care and health services are coordinated, and serves as a consistent advocate when questions arise about coverage or providers.

IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self‑Direct)

IRIS is Wisconsin’s self‑directed program. Instead of enrolling in an MCO, you receive a budget and manage your own services—hiring your own workers, choosing providers, and purchasing supports that fit your life.

· How a support broker helps: This is where a support broker plays a central role.

· Planning: We help you develop your IRIS support plan, aligning it with your goals and your approved budget.

· Employer support: As the employer of your own staff, you have responsibilities. We guide you through hiring, training, scheduling, and backup planning.

· Budget management: We help you track spending, adjust as needs change, and make the most of your IRIS budget.

· Problem‑solving: If issues arise with a worker or a service, we help you resolve them while keeping your services stable.

How a Support Broker Assists Across All Programs

Regardless of which program you use, a support broker provides:

· Unbiased guidance – We don’t work for any MCO or agency; we work for you.

· Choice and control – We help you understand your options so you can make informed decisions.

· Advocacy – If services are delayed, denied, or not working, we help you communicate with MCOs, the Department of Health Services, or your IRIS consultant.

· Transition support – Moving from a nursing home to home, from Family Care to IRIS, or from one MCO to another? We help make transitions smooth.

Protecting Your Benefits: Medicaid, FoodShare & Beyond

One of the most critical—and often overlooked—roles of a support broker is helping individuals maintain their eligibility for essential public benefits. In Wisconsin, this includes:

· Medicaid (ForwardHealth) – Whether you are enrolled in Family Care, Partnership, IRIS, or standard Medicaid, your eligibility must be renewed annually. Changes in income, assets, or living situation can put coverage at risk. A support broker helps you track renewal deadlines, report changes correctly, and respond to any requests from the Income Maintenance Consortium or your MCO to ensure there is no gap in coverage.

· FoodShare (Wisconsin’s SNAP program) – FoodShare eligibility is tied to income and household composition. A support broker can help you understand how earnings from self‑directed employment, family contributions, or other changes affect your FoodShare benefits—and assist with accurate reporting so you receive the maximum benefit you’re entitled to without interruptions.

· Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) – This program helps with heating, electric, and even water bills. Many individuals with disabilities qualify but may not know how to apply or how to report changes. A support broker can connect you with your local energy assistance agency, assist with applications, and help coordinate documentation so you stay enrolled year after year.

· Other programs – From the Medicare Savings Program (which helps pay Medicare premiums) to SSI and SSDI advocacy, a support broker helps you navigate the full landscape of benefits. We work alongside you to make sure that as your long‑term care needs evolve, you never lose access to the programs that keep you stable and independent.

Private Pay Options

Not everyone qualifies for or chooses a Medicaid program. If you are paying privately for care, a support broker can still help you:

· Hire and manage private caregivers – We assist with finding, interviewing, and managing workers you hire directly.

· Coordinate services – We help you organize home care, transportation, and other supports so everything works together.

· Plan for the future – If you anticipate needing Medicaid later, we can help you structure private‑pay services in a way that preserves your options and smooths the transition when the time comes—including making sure the transition does not disrupt other benefits like FoodShare or energy assistance.

Getting Started

Your first step is contacting your local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) . They determine eligibility for Family Care, Partnership, and IRIS. Once you know which program you’re in—or if you’re paying privately—a support broker can step in to help you build and manage the support system that works best for you.

Ready to take control of your long‑term care? Contact me today to learn how support brokerage can help you live the life you choose.

+1-6086920326
mattnbroker@outlook.com
Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm.

About Matt Novinska

With over 30 years of experience as a support broker, Matt Novinska brings unmatched expertise to individuals navigating long‑term care—whether through Wisconsin’s Medicaid programs like IRIS and Family Care or through private‑pay arrangements. His deep understanding of the system, built over three decades, allows him to help clients build flexible, person‑centered support plans that truly fit their lives. What makes working with Matt especially convenient is that everything can be done remotely. There’s no need for face‑to‑face meetings—he connects with clients by phone, video, or email, making expert guidance accessible from the comfort of home. Whether you need help hiring caregivers, managing a budget, or simply understanding your options, Matt provides the same dedicated advocacy and personalized support—without the travel.