Allentown Senior AdvisorBy Allentown Senior Advisor Care Team · September 26, 2026
For 2026, Pennsylvania's long-term care Medical Assistance income limit is $2,982 a month and the resource limit is $2,000 plus a $6,000 disregard for those under the income cap. A spouse at home can keep $32,532 to $162,660. Transfers in the previous 60 months are reviewed.
Why these numbers matter in the Lehigh Valley
Medical Assistance, Pennsylvania's Medicaid, is the largest payer of nursing home care, and through Community HealthChoices it also pays for care at home for people who meet the nursing facility level of care. It does not pay a personal care home's room and board, which makes these limits most important for families planning a nursing home stay or home care.
Knowing the numbers a year ahead gives a family time to plan rather than react.
The 2026 limits in one table
| Standard (2026) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Income limit (nursing facility and waiver) | $2,982 a month (300% of the $994 SSI federal benefit rate) for the nursing-facility and waiver categories |
| Resource limit | $2,000 plus a $6,000 disregard at or below the income limit |
| Look-back period | 60 months |
| Community spouse resource allowance | $32,532 to $162,660 |
| Spouse's minimum monthly maintenance needs allowance | $2,643.75 (effective July 1, 2025) |
| Maximum monthly maintenance needs allowance | $4,066.50 |
| Home equity limit | $752,000 |
These figures come from DHS's long-term care pages and CMS's 2026 SSI and spousal impoverishment standards. Some change on January 1 and others on July 1, so confirm with the county assistance office when you apply.
Income
The income limit for the nursing facility and home and community-based waiver categories is three times the $994 SSI federal benefit rate, or $2,982 a month. People with higher income can sometimes still qualify for nursing home care under Pennsylvania's medically needy rules, in which large medical bills are deducted from income.
Once a nursing home resident qualifies, most of their income goes toward the cost of care, minus a personal needs allowance and any amount set aside for a spouse at home.
Resources and the spouse at home
Countable resources must be at or below $2,000, plus an additional $6,000 disregard for applicants with income at or below the limit. The home, one car and personal belongings generally do not count, though the applicant's home equity cannot exceed $752,000.
A spouse who stays at home keeps a community spouse resource allowance between $32,532 and $162,660, and can receive part of the nursing home spouse's income to bring their own up to at least $2,643.75 a month. These protections exist so that care for one spouse does not impoverish the other.
The look-back
When someone applies, the county assistance office reviews transfers made during the previous 60 months. Gifts, below-value sales and undocumented payments to family can create a penalty period during which Medical Assistance will not pay for long-term care.
The safest approach is to keep receipts for every care expense and to put any payment to a family caregiver in a written agreement before the care is provided.
Common mistakes families make
The most common mistake is waiting until the money is gone to apply, which leaves a nursing home bill unpaid while the application is processed. The second is giving money to children in the years before applying, often with good intentions, which can trigger a penalty period. The third is paying a relative for care without a written agreement.
A short consultation with an elder law attorney or a careful conversation with the county assistance office before acting can avoid all three.
How the spouse's income allowance works
When one spouse enters a nursing home and the other stays home, Pennsylvania lets the at-home spouse keep part of the nursing home spouse's income if the at-home spouse's own income is below the maintenance needs allowance. The allowance starts at $2,643.75 a month and can rise toward $4,066.50 when housing costs are high.
The calculation is technical, and the county assistance office does it as part of the application. Bring the at-home spouse's income statements and housing costs, including mortgage, property tax, insurance and utilities.
Estate recovery
Pennsylvania, like every state, seeks repayment from the estates of Medical Assistance recipients 55 and older for long-term care costs it paid, after the recipient dies. Recovery is deferred while a surviving spouse, a child under 21 or a disabled child is living, and hardship waivers exist.
Families sometimes avoid applying because of estate recovery. It is better to understand it with an elder law attorney than to let fear of it leave a parent without care.
Applying from the Lehigh Valley
Apply through COMPASS online, through the Consumer Service Center at 1-866-550-4355 or at the county assistance office. The county Area Agency on Aging conducts the separate assessment of whether the person needs a nursing facility level of care: Lehigh 610-782-3200, Northampton 610-829-4540, Carbon 610-824-7830.
Start before the money runs out completely. Applications take time, and a nursing home will want to know a resident's payment plan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 2026 Medicaid income limit for nursing home care in Pennsylvania?
$2,982 a month for the nursing facility and waiver categories; higher-income applicants may qualify as medically needy.
How much can a spouse at home keep?
Between $32,532 and $162,660 in resources in 2026, plus income support up to the maintenance needs allowance.
Does Medical Assistance pay for a personal care home?
No, not room and board.
How long is the look-back?
60 months before the application.
Can I keep my house if my spouse goes into a nursing home?
Generally yes; the home is excluded while a spouse lives there, subject to the equity limit for the applicant.
