Quick Answer
In Pennsylvania, a single person generally qualifies for nursing-home Medicaid with monthly income at or below $2,982/month and countable assets at or below $2,000 plus a $6,000 resource disregard (2026 (300% of the 2026 SSI federal benefit rate of $994)). A spouse who stays at home is protected separately. Every figure below is sourced; rules change, so verify with the state before you act.
Pennsylvania Medicaid Nursing-Home Limits at a Glance (2026)
These are the headline numbers for a single applicant seeking long-term nursing-home coverage. Each card cites its source and the date it applies.
Pennsylvania (which calls Medicaid "Medical Assistance") sets the long-term-care income limit at 300% of the SSI federal benefit rate, which changes annually.
2026 (300% of the 2026 SSI federal benefit rate of $994). Source: Social Security Administration — SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2026 (300% basis); see also PA DHS, Medicaid Payment of Long-Term Care (accessed 2026-07-05).
Pennsylvania's long-term-care resource limit is $2,000 with an additional $6,000 disregard for applicants whose income is at or below 300% of the federal benefit rate; the limit is $2,400 for applicants whose income is above that threshold.
2026. Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Medical Assistance and Payment of Long-Term Care (accessed 2026-07-05).
The community spouse keeps half the couple's countable resources, bounded by the federal minimum $32,532 and maximum $162,660.
2026. Source: CMS/CMCS Informational Bulletin — Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards (April 27, 2026) (accessed 2026-07-05).
Any asset transferred, sold, or given away within the past 60 months is reviewed by the County Assistance Office when a person applies for long-term-care Medical Assistance.
2026. Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Medical Assistance and Payment of Long-Term Care (accessed 2026-07-05).
How eligibility works in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is what's called an “income cap” state. To qualify for nursing-home Medicaid, a single applicant's countable monthly income generally must be at or below $2,982/month — the figure set at 300% of the federal Supplemental Security Income benefit rate.
Being over the cap does not automatically disqualify you. Applicants with income above the limit can usually still qualify by placing the excess into a Qualified Income Trust (often called a “Miller Trust”), an irrevocable trust that names the state as remainder beneficiary. This is a common, legitimate step — but it must be set up correctly, which is one reason many families work with an elder-law attorney.
On the asset side, a single applicant may keep up to $2,000 plus a $6,000 resource disregard in countable assets. Certain assets are exempt and do not count — most importantly the primary home (within an equity limit, and generally only while you, a spouse, or a dependent live there or you intend to return), one vehicle, personal belongings, and a modest burial fund. Money and investments above the limit generally must be “spent down” on care or other allowed purchases before Medicaid begins.
Protecting the spouse who stays home
A common fear is that one spouse entering a nursing home will leave the other with nothing. Federal “spousal impoverishment” rules exist specifically to prevent that, and Pennsylvania applies them.
- Protected assets (the CSRA). The at-home spouse — called the “community spouse” — may keep the couple's countable assets up to $32,532–$162,660. This is the Community Spouse Resource Allowance.
2026. Source: CMS/CMCS Informational Bulletin — Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards (April 27, 2026) (accessed 2026-07-05).
- Protected income (the MMMNA). The community spouse is guaranteed enough monthly income to reach up to $2,705.00–$4,066.50/month, drawn if necessary from the institutionalized spouse's income before any patient contribution is calculated. This is the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance.
2026 (minimum effective 7/1/2026). Source: CMS/CMCS Informational Bulletin — Updated 2026 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards (April 27, 2026) (accessed 2026-07-05).
- The home. The family home is generally an exempt asset while the community spouse lives there, and selling it can turn an exempt asset into countable cash at the worst possible moment — talk to an elder-law attorney first.
These protections apply only to married couples where one spouse needs care and the other remains in the community. The exact amount a community spouse keeps depends on the couple's finances and is calculated by the state at application.
The look-back period
When you apply for nursing-home Medicaid, Pennsylvania reviews your finances over a 60 months “look-back” window. Gifts or transfers made for less than fair market value during that period — for example, giving money to family or selling a house to a relative cheaply — can trigger a penalty period during which Medicaid will not pay for your care.
Any asset transferred, sold, or given away within the past 60 months is reviewed by the County Assistance Office when a person applies for long-term-care Medical Assistance.
Why this matters: well-meaning transfers made to “protect” assets can backfire and delay coverage. Legitimate planning strategies exist, but they are time-sensitive and state-specific. If you are within five years of possibly needing nursing-home care, review any large gifts or asset transfers with a certified elder-law attorney before you make them.
2026. Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Medical Assistance and Payment of Long-Term Care (accessed 2026-07-05).
Pennsylvania's long-term care program
Once someone qualifies financially and is confirmed to need a nursing-home level of care, Pennsylvania delivers long-term care through Community HealthChoices (CHC).
Community HealthChoices is Pennsylvania's mandatory managed long-term services and supports program for dual-eligible adults, older adults, and adults with physical disabilities. Statewide since January 2020, it covers both nursing-facility care and home- and community-based waiver services.
2026. Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Community HealthChoices (CHC) (accessed 2026-07-05).
Many families also want to know whether the same Medicaid funding can pay for care at home instead of in a facility. It often can, through home- and community-based services, though those programs can have waiting lists where nursing-home coverage does not. Pennsylvania also has the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) for adults 55+ who qualify for nursing-home care but want to stay in the community.
How to apply for nursing-home Medicaid in Pennsylvania
Applications go through Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, through the County Assistance Office (CAO). Apply online through COMPASS, at your local County Assistance Office, or by phone.
You can apply online here: https://www.compass.state.pa.us/.
2026. Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Apply for Long-Term Care Services (accessed 2026-07-05).
What you'll typically need
- • Proof of identity, U.S. citizenship or qualified immigration status, and residency
- • Social Security number and Medicare card (if enrolled)
- • Recent income records (Social Security, pension, and other income)
- • Bank statements and records of assets — often for the full look-back period
- • Records of any property transfers or gifts in the look-back window
- • A physician's statement or level-of-care assessment showing nursing-home-level need
Financial eligibility and the medical level-of-care review are usually handled by different offices, so expect two parallel determinations. Apply early — before savings run out — because processing can take several weeks.
A note on estate recovery
Federal law requires every state to run a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program. Pennsylvania's Estate Recovery Program, administered by the Department of Human Services, recovers long-term-care Medical Assistance (nursing facility, home- and community-based services, and related care) paid on behalf of a recipient from age 55 until death.
Source: Pennsylvania DHS — Estate Recovery Program (accessed 2026-07-05).
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Start Free Facility Search →Important: this is educational, not advice
This guide is general educational information, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid rules change frequently and are applied case by case. Do not make gifts, transfer property, or spend down assets based on this page alone.
- • Verify current rules with the state. Confirm the figures above with Medical Assistance (Pennsylvania Medicaid) before you act.
- • Consider a certified elder-law attorney. For spend-down strategies, trusts, and spousal planning, find one through the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
- • Free help exists. Your local Area Agency on Aging and State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) can walk you through options at no cost.
Keep reading
Medicaid nursing-home guides for other states
Rules differ by state. Compare all of our state guides on the Medicaid & nursing homes hub.