Medicaid Planning Attorney in Pottstown

Pennsylvania Medicaid Long-Term Care Eligibility in 2026

Qualifying for Pennsylvania’s Medicaid long-term care program requires meeting both income and asset thresholds. Understanding these rules before filing an application matters, because missteps during the look-back window can delay or affect a claim.

Income, Asset, & Home Equity Limits

For 2026, a single nursing home applicant must have income below $2,982 per month and fall within the program’s asset limit. A primary home with equity under $752,000 is generally exempt from the asset test, though it remains subject to estate recovery after death.

Married couples face a different set of rules. The Community Spouse Resource Allowance protects a portion of a couple’s assets for the non-applicant spouse. In 2026, that protected share ranges from $32,532 to $162,660, depending on the couple’s total countable assets.

The 60-Month Look-Back Period

One rule that surprises many families is the 60-month look-back period. Pennsylvania reviews asset transfers made in the five years before a Medicaid long-term care application. Transfers below fair market value during that window can trigger a penalty period of ineligibility, meaning Medicaid may not pay for care even if the applicant otherwise qualifies. Timing matters.

How We Build Your Medicaid & Estate Plan

Medicaid planning doesn’t happen in isolation. It connects directly to the rest of your estate plan, and that’s exactly how we approach it. We help clients:

• Determine Medicaid eligibility: We assess your income, assets, and transfer history against current program rules before any application is filed.
• Structure assets appropriately: Tools like irrevocable trusts can remove assets from countable resources. Spend-down strategies can apply excess assets to qualifying expenses such as medical bills or home modifications. We help identify which approach may fit your situation.
• Draft wills and trusts: A coordinated plan accounts for what happens to remaining assets after Medicaid, not just during the application process.
• Establish guardianship or conservatorship: When a loved one can no longer manage their own affairs, we help families establish the legal authority needed to act on their behalf.
• Document healthcare wishes: Powers of attorney and advance directives document your medical preferences so they can be referenced when needed.

Because transfers within the look-back window can trigger a penalty period, the sequence and timing of any asset move is part of the plan from the start.