Kansas Medicaid for Seniors & Long-Term Care
Updated August 2026
Applicants for Medicaid-funded LTC in Kansas must meet both financial and functional eligibility requirements. Financial eligibility uses non-MAGI rules that differ from those used for children, pregnant women, and expansion adults, and eligibility also requires a KDADS functional assessment confirming a nursing facility level of care — not just income and assets.
$2,982/mo
Nursing facility income limit (300% SSI)
$2,000
Individual countable asset limit
3 MCOs
KanCare LTSS delivered through Healthy Blue, Sunflower, and UnitedHealthcare
KanCare delivers long-term services and supports through its three managed care organizations
KanCare, Kansas Medicaid, covers long-term services and supports (LTSS) for seniors and adults with disabilities through its three managed care organizations: Healthy Blue, Sunflower Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Healthy Blue replaced Aetna Better Health as a KanCare MCO under the current 2025-2027 managed care contracts. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) administers HCBS waivers in coordination with the MCOs, and Kansas law and KDADS policy emphasize providing services in the least restrictive, most integrated setting. Contact KDADS at 1-785-296-4986 or visit kancare.ks.gov.
Financial eligibility for KanCare long-term care
| Factor | Standard (2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Income limit | $2,982/mo (300% SSI) | Income over limit may be addressed with a Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust) |
| Countable asset limit — individual | $2,000 | Home, one vehicle, household goods, prepaid burial exempt |
| Asset limit — community spouse | Up to $162,660 (2026 CSRA) | Federal spousal impoverishment protections apply; Kansas follows federal maximum |
| Level-of-care requirement | Nursing facility level of care | KDADS functional assessment — not just income/assets |
Income limit
- Standard (2026)
- $2,982/mo (300% SSI)
- Notes
- Income over limit may be addressed with a Miller Trust (Qualified Income Trust)
Countable asset limit — individual
- Standard (2026)
- $2,000
- Notes
- Home, one vehicle, household goods, prepaid burial exempt
Asset limit — community spouse
- Standard (2026)
- Up to $162,660 (2026 CSRA)
- Notes
- Federal spousal impoverishment protections apply; Kansas follows federal maximum
Level-of-care requirement
- Standard (2026)
- Nursing facility level of care
- Notes
- KDADS functional assessment — not just income/assets
KanCare HCBS waivers — alternatives to nursing facilities
Kansas operates multiple HCBS waivers through KanCare that provide nursing-level care at home or in community settings. KDADS administers these waivers and assigns enrollees to an MCO for coordination. Key waivers for seniors and adults with physical disabilities include the Frail Elderly waiver and the Physical Disability waiver.
- Personal care assistance (activities of daily living)
- Home health aide services
- Homemaker services (meal prep, light housekeeping)
- Adult day services
- Respite care for family caregivers
- Home modifications for accessibility
- Assistive technology
- Nursing assessment and skilled nursing visits
- Transition services from nursing facility to community
- Case management (required for all HCBS waiver enrollees)
All KanCare LTSS members are assigned to a care coordinator through their MCO, who develops the person-centered service plan and arranges covered HCBS services. If you believe your care plan is inadequate, you have the right to request a meeting with your care coordinator and to file a complaint with KDADS.
Spousal impoverishment protections
Kansas follows federal Spousal Impoverishment rules (42 U.S.C. § 1396r-5), which protect the at-home spouse when one spouse requires nursing home or HCBS waiver care. Kansas uses the federal maximum CSRA ($162,660 in 2026) — in states that use a lower state-set minimum CSRA, the community spouse keeps less, so Kansas's use of the federal maximum is relatively favorable for families.
- The community spouse keeps up to $162,660 in assets (2026 CSRA — federal maximum); if the couple's countable assets are below $65,064, the community spouse keeps 100% up to $32,532
- Community spouse income protection: a Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) of $2,705/month minimum, up to a maximum of $4,066.50/month (figures effective 7/1/2026-6/30/2027)
- Home is an exempt asset while the community spouse lives in it
Nursing facility coverage
KanCare covers skilled nursing facility care for seniors who meet clinical and financial criteria. Clinical eligibility requires a documented need for skilled nursing care, typically assessed through a standardized instrument. Once approved, Medicaid pays the nursing home directly, and the resident contributes most of their monthly income toward the cost of care — typically all income minus a personal needs allowance of $30–$50 per month — with Medicaid covering the gap.
Kansas estate recovery — Medicaid recoups long-term care costs from the estate
Kansas has a Medicaid Estate Recovery Program (MERP) under 42 U.S.C. § 1396p. After a Medicaid recipient who was 55 or older and received LTC services passes away, KDHE may file a claim against the estate for those costs. Recovery is deferred while a surviving spouse, or a minor or disabled dependent child, lives in the home, and Kansas allows hardship waivers.
Kansas also enforces a 5-year asset look-back period — transferring assets below fair market value in the 5 years before applying for LTC Medicaid can result in a period of ineligibility. An elder law attorney can help structure asset planning in a way that complies with the rules.
What long-term care Medicaid typically covers
Beyond HCBS waiver services, KanCare covers a broad range of institutional and supplemental long-term care services.
- Skilled nursing facility care — room, board, nursing services, and most medical care in the facility
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy provided in a nursing home
- Personal care assistance with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating) through HCBS waivers
- Home health aide visits for those receiving care at home
- Adult day health care programs
- Respite care to give family caregivers temporary relief
- Durable medical equipment prescribed by a physician
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
KanCare (Kansas Medicaid)
- Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS): 1-785-296-4986
- KanCare (Kansas Medicaid): kancare.ks.gov
Related guides
Medicaid for Seniors
How Medicaid pays for nursing home and long-term care for older adults.
Read more →Estate Recovery
When states can seek reimbursement from an enrollee's estate after death.
Read more →Medicaid & Social Security
How Social Security benefits and Medicaid eligibility interact.
Read more →