Allentown Senior AdvisorWhat changes when a parent moves to Pennsylvania for care?
The license types change (personal care homes and assisted living residences under DHS), Medicaid changes to Pennsylvania's Medical Assistance and Community HealthChoices, Medicare Advantage networks change, and state benefits such as prescription help must be reapplied for in Pennsylvania.
Original Medicare moves with your parent. A Medicare Advantage or Part D plan tied to another state's service area must be replaced, which a move triggers a special enrollment period for.
Can a parent on Medicaid in New York or New Jersey move into a Pennsylvania home?
Medicaid does not transfer between states: your parent would need to establish Pennsylvania residency and apply for Medical Assistance here, and should keep the old state's coverage until the new application is approved to avoid a gap.
Because Pennsylvania's programs do not pay personal care home room and board, a parent who relies on Medicaid for care often needs a nursing home that accepts Medical Assistance, or LIFE or CHC services while living with family.
How do we tour Lehigh Valley homes from a distance?
Start with the licensed home roster to narrow by town and dementia unit, read the DHS inspection summaries online, do video tours with your top homes, then plan one weekend to visit three or four in person, including one meal.
In Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, DHS's provider directory lists 68 licensed personal care homes and 2 assisted living residences, with 5,255 licensed resident places between them (retrieved November 6, 2026). Proximity to the adult child who will visit most should usually decide the town.
What documents should we gather before the move?
Gather the medical evaluation (needed within 60 days before admission), a medication list, insurance cards, powers of attorney and advance directive, Social Security and pension details, and recent bank statements in case of a later Medical Assistance application.
Pennsylvania generally honors powers of attorney validly signed in another state, but a local elder law attorney can confirm the documents will work with Pennsylvania banks and agencies.
What local help can a newly arrived parent get?
Once settled, your parent can use the county Area Agency on Aging for PA MEDI Medicare counseling, PACE/PACENET prescription coverage after 90 days of residency, free transit for those 65 and older, senior centers and caregiver support.
Lehigh 610-782-3200, Northampton 610-829-4540, Carbon 610-824-7830.
At a glance
| Moving a parent to Pennsylvania does | Moving a parent to Pennsylvania does not | |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare | Keep Original Medicare intact | Keep an out-of-area Advantage plan |
| Medicaid | Require a new Pennsylvania application | Transfer automatically |
| Benefits | Open PACE/PACENET after 90 days | Carry over the old state's programs |
Sources include 55 Pa. Code Chapters 20, 2600 and 2800, Pennsylvania DHS, Department of Health and Department of Aging pages, CMS, VA and CareScout rate tables as cited above; see our editorial standards.
