Assisted Living Program in New York

If you're new to this, start with what Medicare pays for in assisted living.

The Assisted Living Program is how New York Medicaid pays for assisted living. It can help when a parent can't safely live alone anymore. You live in an adult home or enriched housing that runs an ALP. Medicaid pays for your care there, like help with bathing, nursing and therapy, but you pay rent and meals, often with SSI. The ALP checks your needs, and you must have Medicaid.

You may qualify if

• You have New York Medicaid, or can get it. In 2026 the limits for one person are $1,856 a month in income and $33,038 in savings.
• You need nursing home level care, and you have no home, or no safe home, to get that care in.
• You don't need nursing care all the time, and you're not in bed most of the day.

Not sure you qualify? Apply anyway, because the ALP checks your needs and your local Medicaid office decides on Medicaid. A Pair Team advocate can walk through it with you in one call.

What the Assisted Living Program gives you

Every ALP also gives you housekeeping, and staff watch over residents all day and night.

What is enhanced assisted living?

An enhanced assisted living residence is certified to keep caring for you as your needs grow, so you can age in place. Some people there need another person's help to walk or climb stairs, and others need help with medical equipment.

Medicaid and Medicare do not pay to live there, the Department of Health says. They may pay for some medical care you get there. If you plan to stay as your needs grow, ask how many beds are certified as enhanced.

How much will I pay for rent and meals?

With SSI, you pay for rent and meals from $1,688 a month, the 2026 amount for this kind of home. That's $994 from the federal government and $694 from New York, which calls this Congregate Care Level 3. You keep $262 for personal needs, and the home gets $1,426.

If your income is above the SSI amount, you pay the home from your own income. If it's over the Medicaid limit, you may have a monthly spenddown, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) says. See SSI in New York.

How do I find an Assisted Living Program?

To find an Assisted Living Program, use the state's list of Assisted Living Programs on New York State Health Profiles. You can also search by county. Call each home and ask if a Medicaid bed is open and how long the wait is.

How to apply

1. Apply for New York Medicaid. An ALP requires it, so apply at your county Department of Social Services. In New York City, apply at the Human Resources Administration. See Medicare and Medicaid together in New York.
2. Call ALPs with a bed. You can contact an ALP yourself, and if it's full, ask to join the waitlist so you're in line for a bed.
3. Have the needs assessment. The ALP checks your health and daily needs before you move in, and again over time.
4. Keep your Medicaid active. Your local Medicaid office does not have to approve ALP care before you move in, the state Department of Health says. The ALP tells the office when you arrive, and the office may check your case later. The ALP can help with the Medicaid forms.
5. Read the residency agreement before you sign. It says what is included and when you can be asked to leave.

If something goes wrong

If Medicaid says no or cuts your care, ask for a fair hearing. Call the state at 1-800-342-3334 or ask online at otda.ny.gov.

To complain about a home, call the Department of Health at 1-866-893-6772, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. For free help with a problem, call the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program at 1-855-582-6769.

What a Pair Team advocate does

New York families often call us after a hospital stay. Going home alone isn't safe, and a nursing home feels like too much. This is what we do:

• Check if you can likely get Medicaid and an ALP, in one call.
• Help you find ALPs with open beds and get on their waitlists.
• Get the Medicaid forms in, and follow up until there is an answer.
• Help with what usually comes with it: paid help at home while you wait, a walker or shower chair, rides 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 an Assisted Living Program?

No, Medicare does not pay for an Assisted Living Program, because it's a Medicaid program. Medicare still pays for your doctor visits, hospital care and hospice while you live there. To get ALP care, start by applying for Medicaid.

Can I keep my Medicaid home care hours in an ALP?

In an ALP, Medicaid pays the ALP for your care, so you can't also keep Medicaid home care hours, NYLAG says. If you're in a Managed Long Term Care plan, talk with the plan before you move.

Will Medicaid look at money I gave away?

For an ALP, Medicaid won't look at money you gave away, NYLAG says. The ALP uses community Medicaid rules, which have no penalty for gifts, but a nursing home is different.

What is the difference between an adult home and enriched housing?

An adult home and enriched housing both give you a room, meals, housekeeping, personal care and supervision. But enriched housing is set up more like your own apartment and is mostly for people 65 and older. Either one can run an ALP.

What if every ALP near me is full?

If every ALP near you is full, Medicaid home care may help you stay home while you wait. Get on more than one waitlist to raise your chances.

Sources

• Assisted Living Program (ALP), New York State Department of Health
• GIS 12 MA/017: Assisted Living Program (ALP) Changes, New York State Department of Health
• Adult Care Facility Services, New York State Department of Health
• Consumer Information Guide: Assisted Living Residence, New York State Department of Health
• Adult Care Facilities/Assisted Living, New York State Department of Health
• NYS Health Profiles: Adult Care Facilities, New York State Department of Health
• 2026 SSI and SSP Maximum Monthly Benefit Levels Chart, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
• Medicare Savings Program 2026, New York State Department of Health
• Request a Fair Hearing, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
• Office of the State Long Term Care Ombudsman, New York State
• State Publishes SSI Benefit Chart for 2026 Including Rates for ACFs, LeadingAge New York
• Medicaid Assisted Living Programs (ALP) in NYS, NY Health Access (NYLAG)