Pennsylvania long-term care insurance: cost & coverage
What long-term care costs in Pennsylvania, who regulates insurance here, whether the state has an LTC Partnership program, and how to compare quotes.
Who regulates long-term care insurance in Pennsylvania
Long-term care insurance policies sold in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. If you have a complaint about an agent, carrier, or policy, you can file it with the regulator directly.
What long-term care costs in Pennsylvania
Median assisted living cost in Pennsylvania vs. the national median:
| Location | Median / month | Approx. / year |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $6,473 | $77,676 |
| National median | $6,313 | $75,756 |
Source: SeniorLiving.org median assisted living costs, 2026. See costs for all 50 states for the full table.
What each type of care costs in Pennsylvania
Assisted living is only one of the settings people use. Median monthly costs across the main care types in Pennsylvania:
| Type of care | Median / month | Approx. / year |
|---|---|---|
| Home health aide | $5,788 | $69,456 |
| Assisted living | $6,473 | $77,676 |
| Nursing home (semi-private room) | $12,553 | $150,636 |
| Nursing home (private room) | $13,747 | $164,964 |
Source: SeniorLiving.org Cost of Care Research (2026)
Pennsylvania's LTC Partnership program
Pennsylvania has an active LTC Partnership program. Established by Act 40 of 2007 (CMS-approved effective July 1, 2007), Pennsylvania offers dollar-for-dollar Medicaid asset protection under its Partnership program.
A Partnership-qualified policy lets you keep an extra dollar of assets, protected from Medicaid spend-down, for every dollar your policy pays out in benefits — see the note above for this state's current status. Learn more about how Partnership programs work.
How the Partnership program works in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's Partnership program is jointly run: the Pennsylvania Insurance Department reviews and approves the Partnership policies insurers sell in the state, while the Department of Human Services determines eligibility for Medical Assistance (Pennsylvania's Medicaid program) once a policyholder's benefits are exhausted. Because Pennsylvania takes part in the national reciprocity framework the Deficit Reduction Act set up for Partnership states, a policy bought in Pennsylvania can protect assets if the owner later applies for Medicaid after moving to another reciprocal Partnership state, and the same holds in reverse for a policy bought elsewhere before moving to Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania law also lets consumers exchange an existing long-term care policy for a qualifying Partnership policy.
Source: Pennsylvania Insurance Department (2007)
How Pennsylvania treats LTC premiums at tax time
Pennsylvania has a flat state income tax, but Pennsylvania law does not allow itemized deductions, a standard deduction, or deductions for personal expenses of any kind — so long-term care insurance premiums cannot reduce Pennsylvania taxable income the way they might on a federal return. Pennsylvania does exclude income paid out under a qualifying long-term care insurance contract from state taxable income, so a Pennsylvania policyholder who draws benefits from a long-term care policy generally owes no state income tax on those benefit payments.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Revenue (2023)
This is general information, not tax advice. Confirm your own situation with a tax professional licensed in Pennsylvania.
Medicaid long-term care in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's Medicaid program is called Medical Assistance (MA), administered by the Department of Human Services. For long-term care, a single Aged, Blind, or Disabled applicant's countable resources generally cannot exceed $2,000 ($3,000 for a couple) under the state's regular MA resource limit. Pennsylvania also runs a separate "medically needy" MA track with a higher $2,400 ($3,200 for a couple) resource limit for applicants who qualify by spending down income that exceeds the regular limit on medical costs.
Source: 55 Pa. Code Chapter 178, Appendix A (2026)
Other Pennsylvania long-term care programs
- OPTIONS Program. Pennsylvania's OPTIONS program, run by the Department of Aging through local Area Agencies on Aging, helps residents age 60 and older get personal care, home health, home-delivered meals, home modifications, and other in-home supports so they can stay independent and delay or avoid moving to a nursing facility. Unlike Medical Assistance, OPTIONS has no income or asset eligibility test at all — any Pennsylvania resident 60 or older who shows an unmet care need can apply, though the state may charge a co-pay based on ability to pay.
How to compare quotes in Pennsylvania
- Confirm any agent or carrier you talk to is currently licensed to sell in Pennsylvania — the Pennsylvania Insurance Department can confirm licensing status.
- Ask which products a carrier is actively writing in Pennsylvania today — availability changes state by state and year to year. See carriers we compare.
- If a Partnership-qualified policy matters to you, confirm with the carrier or agent whether a policy is currently certified as Partnership-qualified in Pennsylvania — see this state's Partnership status above.
- Compare traditional and hybrid options side by side — see traditional vs. hybrid coverage.
- Get quotes from more than one carrier; pricing for the same coverage can vary significantly.
Please note: Regulator names, complaint channels, and Partnership-program status can change. Confirm current details with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department or a licensed agent before making any decision. LongTermCareInsurance411 is not a government agency and does not administer Pennsylvania's insurance regulations or Medicaid program.
Last updated: August 22, 2026
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