Paying for Personal Care and Assisted Living in Monroeville, Pennsylvania
Once a family has found a personal care community that feels right, the next question is how to pay for it month after month. In the Pittsburgh area, CareScout's 2025 survey reports a median assisted living cost of $5,641 a month, or about $67,692 a year (CareScout Cost of Care tool). Few people cover that from a single source. Most Monroeville families combine several, and some qualify for public help that they did not know existed. This guide walks through each option, with links to the official sources.
Start with the big picture
Pennsylvania DHS says personal care homes and assisted living residences are typically not covered by Medicaid, that payment rates are set by each facility, and that the vast majority of residents pay privately. It also notes that some residents receive home and community-based services, and that many homes accept lower-income residents who receive Supplemental Security Income (Pennsylvania DHS, Personal Care Homes and Assisted Living Residences).
That means planning usually starts with your parent's own resources, then looks at benefits that can fill the gap.
Private funds
Income
Social Security, pensions, annuities, and retirement account withdrawals all count. Total your parent's monthly income after taxes and insurance premiums, then compare it with the monthly rate.
Savings and investments
Savings, CDs, and investment accounts often cover the difference between income and cost. Divide available savings by the monthly shortfall to see roughly how many months of care they will cover.
Home equity
For many Monroeville families, the house is the largest asset. Selling it can fund several years of care. Some families rent the home instead, or use a short-term bridge loan while the sale closes. Talk with a financial adviser about taxes and timing before you decide.
Family contributions
Some adult children share costs. If you do, put the arrangement in writing so everyone understands what they have agreed to.
Long-term care insurance
A long-term care insurance policy may pay part of the cost of personal care or memory care once the policyholder needs help with daily activities or has a cognitive impairment. Before move-in, find the policy and check:
- The daily or monthly benefit amount
- The elimination period, the number of days you must pay before benefits begin
- Whether the policy covers personal care homes as well as assisted living
- The lifetime maximum
- How to file a claim and what documentation is required
Call the insurer early, because claims can take weeks to approve.
VA Aid and Attendance
Wartime veterans and their surviving spouses who meet income, asset, and care-need requirements may receive a VA pension with an Aid and Attendance increase. From December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026, VA lists these maximum annual amounts with Aid and Attendance (VA, Veterans Pension rates):
| Situation | Maximum annual pension with Aid and Attendance |
|---|---|
| Veteran with no dependents | $29,093 |
| Veteran with one dependent | $34,488 |
| Two veterans married to each other | $46,143 |
The net worth limit for this period is $163,699. VA reduces the pension by countable income, and unreimbursed medical expenses, including care costs, can reduce countable income. Applications can take months, so start early. Local veterans can also get health care help through VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VA Pittsburgh health care).
Pennsylvania's Personal Care Home Supplement
This is one of the most useful and least known programs for lower-income residents. Pennsylvania adds a state supplement to federal SSI for people who live in a licensed personal care home.
According to DHS's guidance for personal care home operators (Pennsylvania DHS, SSI and Pennsylvania's Personal Care Home Supplement, PDF):
- SSI is a federal benefit for people 65 or older, or blind or disabled, with limited income and resources, currently less than $994 a month in income and $2,000 in resources for a single person.
- People who receive or are eligible for SSI and live in a licensed personal care home can also receive the PCH Supplement, currently $639.30 a month, to help offset room and board.
- The supplement can sometimes be authorized for people who are income-ineligible for SSI, if their monthly income is less than SSI and the supplement combined.
- Residents keep a personal needs allowance of $85 a month, which may not be used for room or board. A home cannot charge more than the resident's actual total monthly income minus the $85 allowance.
- To apply, the resident applies for SSI through the Social Security Administration, and a PA-761 form is submitted with a copy of the home's license and a medical evaluation to the local Area Agency on Aging.
Pennsylvania's policy manual lists the 2026 federal SSI rate for an individual in a personal care boarding home as $994 a month, with a state supplementary payment of $639.30 (Pennsylvania DHS, SSP and FBR payment levels). Together, that is $1,633.30 a month for an eligible individual. DHS also says SSI recipients are entitled to the same care and services as private-pay residents. Not every home accepts SSI residents, so ask directly.
Medicaid and Community HealthChoices
Pennsylvania's Medicaid long-term care program, Community HealthChoices, serves people who qualify for Medicaid and need a nursing facility level of care, either at home and in the community or in a nursing home (Pennsylvania DHS, Community HealthChoices). Because DHS says personal care homes are typically not covered by Medicaid, families should not count on Medicaid to pay a personal care home's monthly rate. Community HealthChoices may matter more if your parent stays at home with services, or later needs nursing home care.
Medicare
Medicare does not pay for room and board or ongoing personal care in a personal care home or assisted living. It continues to cover eligible medical care, such as doctor visits, hospital stays, and prescription drugs through Part D.
Tax considerations
In some cases, part of the cost of personal care or memory care may be deductible as a medical expense, especially when a person is chronically ill and care follows a plan prescribed by a licensed health care practitioner. Ask a tax professional how this applies to your family.
Local help in Allegheny County
The Allegheny County Area Agency on Aging's SeniorLine, 412-350-5460 or 1-800-344-4319, helps with care management, caregiver support, in-home services, pharmaceutical assistance, and property tax and rent rebates (Allegheny County SeniorLine). The PCH Supplement application is submitted to the local Area Agency on Aging, and SeniorLine is the front door to the Allegheny County agency.
Putting a plan together
A simple worksheet helps:
- List your parent's monthly income.
- List savings and assets that could be used for care.
- Note any long-term care insurance benefit.
- Check VA eligibility.
- Check SSI and PCH Supplement eligibility if income and savings are limited.
- Compare the total with the monthly rate.
Our guide to assisted living costs in Monroeville explains what shapes a quote, and our tips for choosing a personal care home can help with your search.
Talk with Independence Court
Independence Court of Monroeville, at 279 Center Road, offers enhanced personal care, memory care, and respite. Our team can walk you through current rates and what is included. Please call (412) 372-9022, or review our suites and pricing page before your visit.
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicaid pay for personal care homes in Pennsylvania?
DHS says personal care homes and assisted living residences are typically not covered by Medicaid. Many accept residents who receive SSI and the state's Personal Care Home Supplement.
What is Pennsylvania's Personal Care Home Supplement?
An additional state payment, currently $639.30 a month, for SSI-eligible people living in a licensed personal care home, to help with room and board.
How much can a personal care home charge an SSI resident?
DHS guidance says a home cannot charge more than the resident's actual total monthly income minus the $85 personal needs allowance.
Can VA benefits help pay for personal care?
Yes. Eligible wartime veterans and surviving spouses may receive a VA pension with Aid and Attendance, up to $29,093 a year for a veteran with no dependents in the current rate period.
Sources
- CareScout Cost of Care tool (2025 data)
- Pennsylvania DHS: Personal Care Homes and Assisted Living Residences
- Pennsylvania DHS: SSI and Pennsylvania's Personal Care Home Supplement (PDF)
- Pennsylvania DHS: SSP and FBR payment levels
- Pennsylvania DHS: Community HealthChoices
- VA: Veterans Pension rates
- VA Pittsburgh health care
- Allegheny County SeniorLine