Frequently Asked Questions - Partnership Program
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- Why do we call it Partnership?
- Who is eligible to enroll in Partnership?
- Who pays for Partnership Services?
- What is a Care Team?
- What is the role of a Nurse Practitioner?
- What is the role of a Registered Nurse?
- What is the role of a Social Worker?
- What is the role of a Service Coordinator?
- May participants keep their own doctors?
- What types of services can Partnership provide?
1. Why do we call it Partnership?
The Care Team partners with the older adult, local doctors, family, and various community resources and services to create a service plan that delivers a full range of health care and support services in the home. There is great emphasis on consumer choice, the participant's personal wishes, and his or her choice of lifestyle. Enrollment is voluntary, and participants can disenroll if they wish. Typically, though, the Partnership program serves participants for the remaining years of their lives and supports them throughout changes in their health and living situations.
2. Who is eligible to enroll in Partnership?
The Partnership Program is designed to assist people who have chronic health problems or functional decline that prevents them from living in the community without assistence.
To enroll in Partnership, you must:
- be age 55 or older
- live in Dane County, Wisconsin
- be eligible for nursing home level of care as determined by the State
- meet certain financial requirements
3. Who pays for Partnership Services?
Medicaid and Medicare provide the funding for eligible participants. To enroll, an older adult must meet financial requirements and be at nursing home level of care. Specifically, the enrollee must be eligible for Medicaid or already have Medicaid. During the enrollment process, Care Wisconsin staff work with the older adult and family to review financial eligibility for Partnership, including asset limits, income levels, and other considerations.
Many people are willing to pay a monthly fee - called a cost share - in order to be eligible for the program. The amount of the cost share, if any, depends on the person's income as well as other expenses. This arrangement to pay a cost share gives the older adult, who otherwise qualifies due to chronic conditions, full access to the Partnership program. During the enrollment process, our staff estimates the cost share for the enrollee and family, so a decision can be made.
Medicare comes into the picture as a funding source in two ways: when the participant is age 65 plus and qualifies for Medicare, or if the participant applies for Medicare at age 55 under a disability determination.
To learn more, please contact us by calling (608) 245-3075 (8 am-4:30 pm weekdays) or completing our online Request for Information form. You may also use WI Relay 711 to contact us during the same hours.
4. What Is A Care Team?
A Care Team consists of the nurse practitioner, registered nurse, social worker, and service coordinator. Participants in the Partnership program are assigned their own Care Team. The team partners with the primary physician, participant, and the family in order to develop a customized plan of care. The team then manages care with the participant according to this plan and builds a close relationship around important decision-making for all health and long-term care needs. The goal is to stabilize and maintain the health status of the participant. The Care Team comes to know the participant well enough to anticipate concerns and then provide preventive care.
Learn more about the role of each care team member:
5. What is the role of a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are registered nurses with advanced education and training. In Partnership, NPs work collaboratively with the primary care physicians in our network and communicate frequently about the participant's health status. NPs do many of the same things as your doctor. For example:
- Prescribing & managing medicines
- Obtaining health histories
- Performing physical assessments & examinations
- Ordering & interpreting diagnostic/laboratory studies
- Diagnosing & treating common illnesses & minor injuries
- Providing continued/follow-up and coordinated care
The Nurse Practitioner provides the medical perspective on the Care Team and often attends the participant's doctor appointments to update the primary physician on medication needs, health changes, and adjustments to the care plan.
6. What is the role of a Registered Nurse?
Registered Nurses are specially-trained professionals who provide nursing care to the participants. They visit participants in their homes and oversee Partnership's direct care staff, including Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Personal Care Workers (PCWs). Other responsibilities include:
- Health care education
- Medication management
- Wound care
7. What is the role of a Social Worker?
The Social Workers in the Partnership program all have advanced education and certifications. These masters-level Social Workers are knowledgeable about the social, emotional, and mental health needs of older adults. They keep up-to-date about the various community resources available to meet those needs. They also provide supportive counseling to the participants, support the family members and other caregivers, and generally coordinate use of community services.
8. What is the role of a Service Coordinator?
The Service Coordinator serves as the direct link to Partnership, acting as the "air traffic controller". This vital team member ensures timely communication among participants, Care Team members, other Care Wisconsin staff, physicians' offices, and community service providers. The Service Coordinator supports the participant and family by scheduling medical/health appointments, arranging transportation, and generally coordinating the participant's services received through Partnership.
9. May participants keep their own doctors?
Yes, when possible. It's natural for older adults to want to keep long-standing relationships with their own doctors who know them best. That's why we work with over 80 primary care doctors as well as physicians in all medical specialties throughout Dane County. We have carefully selected a panel of physicians who have agreed to collaborate with our team Nurse Practitioner and work within the Partnership model. From time to time, we add physicians to our network who are interested in the Partnership program and have patients who wish to enroll. Click here to view a current list of primary care doctors in our provider network.
10.What types of services can Partnership provide?
Partnership covers Medicaid, Medicare, and Home & Community-Based Waiver Services. The following is a sample of these services.
In-home services:
- Nursing care
- Social services
- Personal care (assistance with bathing, dressing, etc.)
- Assistance with medications
- Meal preparation
- 24-Hour Emergency Call Line
Physician care:
- Over 80 local primary care doctors throughout Dane County
- All Medical Specialties
Other services provided by Partnership:
- Prescription Drugs
- Transportation
- Dental Services
- Hospital Care
- Outpatient Surgery
- Emergency Room Care
- Adult Day Services
- End-of-Life Care
- Physical Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Speech Therapy
- Mental Heath Services
- Medical Equipment & Supplies
- Audiology & Optometry
- Lab & X-Ray Services
- Nutritional Counseling
For a complete list of services and a list of primary care physicians and other providers in our network, please contact us. Or download these files:
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