Last verified: October 2026
What is different about senior care in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania licenses most residential care as personal care homes rather than assisted living, reserves the words “assisted living” for Chapter 2800 residences, has no separate memory-care license, and runs Medicaid long-term services through Community HealthChoices and LIFE.
Around Pittsburgh that means 217 personal care homes and 14 assisted living residences on the DHS roster.
Can a parent keep Medicaid from another state?
No. Medicaid is run state by state, so a parent who moves to Pennsylvania applies for Pennsylvania Medical Assistance as a new resident, and the other state's coverage ends; time the move and application so there is no gap in coverage.
PACE and PACENET prescription help also requires 90 days of Pennsylvania residency.
What paperwork should come with your parent?
Bring a current medication list, recent physician notes, advance directives and powers of attorney, insurance cards, and, for a personal care home, a completed medical evaluation, which Pennsylvania requires within 60 days before or 30 days after admission.
Have an elder law attorney confirm that out-of-state powers of attorney will be accepted by Pennsylvania banks and facilities.
How do you choose a home from out of town?
Shortlist on the DHS and CMS records, which are public and online, then schedule video or in-person tours of two or three finalists and ask a local advisor what the records do not show.
Start with the directory or a county page.
How long does a Pennsylvania Medicaid application take?
Timing varies with how complete the application is, so gather proof of income, resources and five years of financial records before the move; the county assistance office decides financial eligibility, and the Independent Enrollment Broker (1-877-550-4227) handles the level-of-care assessment for CHC or LIFE.
What about Medicare when a parent moves to Pennsylvania?
Original Medicare moves with your parent, but a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan from another state's service area usually must be replaced after the move; the move triggers a special enrollment period, and PA MEDI counselors at the county Area Agency on Aging can compare Pennsylvania plans for free.
Do this before choosing doctors, since plan networks differ between UPMC and Allegheny Health Network.
Moving a parent to Pennsylvania: what carries over and what does not
| Carries over | Does not carry over | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare | yes, it is federal | |
| Medicaid | reapply in Pennsylvania | |
| Care-setting names | nursing home | 'assisted living' usually means a PCH here |
| Prescription help | Medicare Part D | other states' programs; PACE needs 90 days residency |
