DHS seeks input on IRIS renewal 

The Department of Health Services is seeking input on how to improve a Medicaid long-term care program that allows participants to self-direct their care.

The Include, Respect, I Self-Direct program, known as IRIS, allows about 26,000 Wisconsinites to live independently and make their own choices on long-term care.

The program is set to expire at the end of next year, and DHS plans to renew it. It’s hosting public input sessions on July 30 and July 31 and collecting feedback on potential changes through an online survey that closes Aug. 2.

The state agency will finalize proposed changes in January, seek public comment and tribal consultation next June, notify lawmakers about the renewal in July and submit proposed changes to the federal government by September 2025.

Those changes would take effect January 2026, pending federal action.

“We are eager to hear from the community about how we can enhance the IRIS program to better serve the people who need it and improve their quality of life,” DHS Secretary-designee Kirsten Johnson said in a statement.

This article first appeared in the Wisconsin Health News daily email newsletter. Sign up for your free trial here.