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Medicaid Planning · Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Long-term-care Medicaid eligibility

Long-term-care Medicaid eligibility rules for Pennsylvania.

Published: September 4, 2026. Last checked: September 5, 2026.

Income limits

Non-money-payment pathway income limit

$2,982 per month

Applies to the applicant under the institutional long-term care pathway for Medicaid-paid long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: individual applicant using the non-money-payment pathway.

Source: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026 Additional authority: CMS 2026 SSI and January spousal-impoverishment standards [cms] — SSI, resource, spousal-impoverishment maximum, and home-equity standards effective January 1, 2026

Medically needy pathway income limit

$2,550 semiannual net income

Applies to the applicant under the medically needy pathway for Medicaid-paid long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: individual applicant using the medically needy pathway.

Source: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026

Asset limits

Non-money-payment pathway resource limit

$2,000 with an additional $6,000 disregard

Applies to the applicant under the institutional long-term care pathway for Medicaid-paid long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: individual applicant using the non-money-payment pathway at or below the $2,982 income threshold.

Source: Pennsylvania Code chapter 178, Appendix A [state-medicaid-agency] — Appendix A amended December 30, 1988, effective January 31, 1989 Additional authority: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026

Medically needy pathway resource limit

$2,400

Applies to the applicant under the medically needy pathway for Medicaid-paid long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: individual applicant using the medically needy pathway above the non-money-payment income threshold.

Source: Pennsylvania Code chapter 178, Appendix A [state-medicaid-agency] — Appendix A amended December 30, 1988, effective January 31, 1989 Additional authority: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026

Community spouse resource allowance (CSRA)

Current community-spouse resource allowance

$32,532 minimum to $162,660 maximum

Applies to the community spouse under the spousal impoverishment pathway for long-term-care services. This is a range. Details: institutionalized applicant with a community spouse.

Source: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026 Additional authority: CMS 2026 SSI and January spousal-impoverishment standards [cms] — SSI, resource, spousal-impoverishment maximum, and home-equity standards effective January 1, 2026

Monthly maintenance needs allowance (MMMNA)

Current community-spouse monthly maintenance-needs allowance

$2,705 minimum to $4,066.50 maximum per month

Applies to the community spouse under the spousal impoverishment pathway for long-term-care services. This is a range. Details: institutionalized applicant with a community spouse; allowable shelter expenses may increase the actual allowance.

Source: CMS 2026 minimum maintenance-needs standards [cms] — Minimum maintenance-needs amount effective July 1, 2026 Additional authority: CMS 2026 SSI and January spousal-impoverishment standards [cms] — SSI, resource, spousal-impoverishment maximum, and home-equity standards effective January 1, 2026 Additional authority: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026

Home-equity limits

Current home-equity limit

$752,000

Applies to the applicant under the institutional long-term care pathway for long-term-care services. This is a cap. Details: applicant subject to Pennsylvania's home-equity rule.

Source: Pennsylvania DHS Medicaid and Payment of Long-Term Services [state-medicaid-agency] — Income and community-spouse resource figures labeled for 2026 Additional authority: CMS 2026 SSI and January spousal-impoverishment standards [cms] — SSI, resource, spousal-impoverishment maximum, and home-equity standards effective January 1, 2026

Sources

Methodology & sources

Checked at least annually and whenever the state or CMS publishes new long-term-care eligibility figures.

General information, not legal advice.