Adult Day Care in Nevada
- Last updated
- October 12, 2026
- Read time
- 6 min

Key points
- Nevada Medicaid pays for adult day health care, with a nurse, a meal and help with daily tasks, from age 18.
- You don't need nursing home level care for it, only help with two daily tasks and one risk, Nevada Medicaid says.
- At 65 and older, the Frail Elderly waiver pays for social day care up to 6 hours a day, and the Community Options Program for the Elderly (COPE) pays for it too.
- If you pay yourself, adult day health care cost a typical $80 a day in Nevada in 2025, CareScout found.
If you're new to this, start with what Medicare pays for adult day care.
In Nevada, Medicaid pays for adult day health care through a program Nevada Medicaid runs itself. A center gives you nursing care, help with daily tasks, a meal and time with others. To start, you send a referral form and a recent checkup to Nevada Medicaid. If your mom gets confused and lonely at home while you're at work, a few days a week can help you both.
You may qualify if
- You're 18 or older, have Nevada Medicaid, and live at home, not in a group home or assisted living.
- You need hands-on help or reminders with at least two daily tasks, like bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, moving around or eating.
- You also have one risk, like being cut off from others, or a health problem that gets worse without a nurse.
Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because a Nevada Medicaid worker checks your needs and decides, not the center. A Pair Team advocate can walk through it with you in one call.
Two kinds of adult day care in Nevada
| Adult day health care | Social adult day care | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Nursing, medicines given by a nurse, help with daily tasks, care coordination, a meal and activities | Supervision, activities and a meal |
| Who it's for | Adults 18 and older with Medicaid who need help with two daily tasks and have one risk | People 65 and older who need nursing home level care |
| Who pays | Nevada Medicaid | The Frail Elderly waiver or COPE, through the Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD), or you |
| How to start | Send form NMO-3410E to Nevada Medicaid | Apply to ADSD |
Who decides if I qualify for adult day health care?
A Nevada Medicaid health care coordinator decides if you qualify for adult day health care. The coordinator should call you within 7 working days of getting your form, the rules say. The check is face to face, or by video in some cases. After the check, you have 14 days to pick a center that takes Medicaid. Then your care plan sets your days, at least one a week. If you're 65 or older, you're on regular Medicaid, not a health plan, so Nevada Medicaid decides.
Does Nevada Medicaid pay for social adult day care?
Yes, Nevada Medicaid pays for social adult day care through the Frail Elderly waiver, if you're 65 or older and need nursing home level care. Your ADSD case manager can approve up to 6 hours a day on set days. COPE, which the state pays for, covers it too for people with a little more income. In February 2026, 2,226 people were waiting for the waiver and 20 for COPE, ADSD told lawmakers. See Medicaid home care in Nevada for how to apply to ADSD.
How much does adult day care cost in Nevada?
Adult day health care cost a typical $80 a day in Nevada in 2025, CareScout's survey found. That's about $20,800 a year for five days a week, below the national typical cost of $95 a day. With Medicaid, Nevada Medicaid pays the center for the days in your care plan.
How to start adult day health care
- Get Medicaid if you don't have it. Apply at accessnevada.nv.gov, or call the Division of Social Services at 1-800-992-0900. See Medicare and Medicaid in Nevada.
- Find a center near you. Dial 211, or call a Nevada Care Connection resource center. It's 702-364-2273 in Las Vegas, 702-732-0304 in Henderson, and 877-861-1893 in Washoe County and much of rural Nevada.
- Get your records ready. You need a checkup report from the past 6 months, a tuberculosis test from the past 12 months, and any doctor's orders.
- Send in the referral. Email form NMO-3410E and your records to 1915i@nvha.nv.gov, or fax them to 775-687-8724. You can also bring them to 1210 S. Valley View Blvd., Suite 104, in Las Vegas.
- Have the check, then pick a center. For questions, call Nevada Medicaid's Las Vegas office at 702-668-4200.
For local help, see Las Vegas and Reno.
If Medicaid says no
If Medicaid says no or cuts your days, you can ask for a fair hearing. Nevada Medicaid must get your request within 90 days of the notice date, and you can use form NMO-6300. To keep your days while you wait, ask within 10 days after the date of action on the notice.
What a Pair Team advocate does
Nevada families often call us when a parent can't be home alone while they work, and the form asks for records they don't have. This is what we do:
- Check if you can likely get Medicaid and adult day health care, in one call.
- Get the checkup report and tuberculosis test from the doctor, and send in the referral.
- Find centers near you that take Nevada Medicaid, and apply to ADSD if you need more help.
- Help with what usually comes with it: rides, food and bills.
An advocate is covered by Medicare if you qualify. It takes two minutes to find out.
Check if you qualify for a Pair Team advocate
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare pay for adult day care in Nevada?
Medicare does not pay for adult day care in Nevada, or in any state. Medicaid or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) may pay instead. Nevada doesn't have the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) yet, and Nevada Medicaid plans to start it in early 2028.
Can I go to adult day health care if I live in assisted living?
You can't get Medicaid's adult day health care if you live in a group home or assisted living paid to care for you all day, Nevada Medicaid's rules say.
Can someone with dementia go to adult day health care?
Someone with dementia can go if they need help or reminders with two daily tasks and have one of the risks. One risk is aggressive behavior without a nurse watching. Ask the center how it cares for people with memory loss, and see Medicare and dementia care.
How do I check a center's license?
To check a center's license, search FindaHealthFacility.nv.gov, the state's list. Nevada calls these centers facilities for the care of adults during the day. To report a problem, call the state's licensing office at 702-668-3250.
Is there help for me as a family caregiver?
Yes, Nevada Care Connection resource centers help family caregivers find support, ADSD says. The Frail Elderly waiver can also pay for respite at home. See help for family caregivers.
Sources
- Adult Day Health Care and Habilitation, 1915(i), Nevada Medicaid
- Medicaid Services Manual Chapter 1800, Adult Day Health Care and Habilitation, Nevada Medicaid
- Referral for 1915(i) Program, form NMO-3410E, Nevada Medicaid
- Waiver for the Frail Elderly, Nevada Medicaid
- Medicaid Services Manual Chapter 2200, Waiver for the Frail Elderly (adult day care), Nevada Medicaid
- Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, Nevada Medicaid
- Statewide Managed Care Program, Nevada Medicaid
- Fair Hearings and form NMO-6300, Nevada Medicaid
- Contact Nevada Medicaid, Nevada Health Authority
- Waiver for the Frail Elderly, Aging and Disability Services Division
- Community Options Program for the Elderly, Aging and Disability Services Division
- Homemaker Program and Nevada Care Connection resource centers, Aging and Disability Services Division
- Aging and Disability Resource Center (Nevada Care Connection), Aging and Disability Services Division
- Minutes, Legislative Committee on Senior Citizens, Veterans and Adults With Special Needs, February 23, 2026
- NRS 449.004, facility for the care of adults during the day defined, Nevada Legislature
- Find a Health Facility, Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance
- Contact Us and complaints, Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance
- Ranked Median Costs by State, Cost of Care Survey 2025, CareScout
About the author

Jeneli Almonte
Lead Care Manager
Jeneli Almonte is a Lead Care Manager at Pair Team. Since 2022, she has helped patients with benefits, housing and food.
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