Benefits for seniors in Nevada

Medicaid for people 65 and over

Nevada calls its Medicaid group for older adults Medical Assistance to the Aged, Blind and Disabled (MAABD). DSS decides who qualifies. The Division of Health Care Financing and Policy runs the program.

• Who qualifies: people 65 and over, or blind or disabled, with low income and few assets. In Nevada, the main way to get this Medicaid while living at home is to qualify for SSI. If you get SSI, you get Medicaid.
• Income: for SSI and Medicaid, an aged person living on their own in Nevada can have countable income up to about $1,030.40 a month in 2026 (the federal SSI payment plus Nevada's supplement). Some income is not counted, so apply even if you are a little over.
• Assets: up to $2,000 for one person or $3,000 for a couple.
• Used to get SSI? Some people who lost SSI can keep Medicaid if certain income is not counted. Ask DSS at 800-992-0900.
• Your home: the home you live in is not counted as an asset.
• What it covers: doctor and hospital care, prescriptions Medicare does not cover, and other medical care. If you also have Medicare, Medicare pays first.

Long-term care. Medicaid can pay for nursing home care, or for care at home through a waiver (see "Help staying at home").

• Assets: up to $2,000 for one person or $3,000 for a couple.
• Income: your gross monthly income can be up to 300% of the SSI payment, which is $2,982 a month in 2026.
• A spouse at home can keep part of the couple's savings: at least $32,532 and at most $162,660 in 2026. The spouse can also keep some of your income. Ask DSS how these rules apply to you.
• Home equity: if the equity in your home is more than $752,000, Medicaid usually will not pay for long-term care. Ask DSS about exceptions.

Estate recovery. After a Medicaid member who was 55 or older (or lived in a nursing home or other medical facility) dies, Nevada may seek repayment from the estate. Nevada will not collect while a spouse, a child under 21, or a blind or disabled child is still living. Families can ask for a hardship waiver. The estate recovery unit's number is (775) 687-8416.

Help paying Medicare costs

Nevada Medicaid offers the three main Medicare Savings Programs. They pay your Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026). QMB also pays Medicare deductibles and copays. Nevada uses the federal income levels:

• QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary): income up to 100% of the poverty level, about $1,350 a month for one person or $1,824 for a couple.
• SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary): up to 120%, about $1,616 a month for one person or $2,184 for a couple.
• QI-1 (Qualifying Individual): up to 135%, about $1,816 a month for one person or $2,455 for a couple.
• Assets: Nevada counts assets for these programs. The limit follows the federal level, about $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Your home is not counted.

Some income is not counted, so apply even if you are a little over. If you get any Medicare Savings Program, you also get Extra Help with drug costs automatically.

Prescription drug help

Nevada's Senior Rx and Disability Rx program ended on December 31, 2023. There is no state drug program for seniors to replace it.

Apply for Extra Help, the federal program that lowers Part D premiums and copays. If you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, you get Extra Help automatically. MAP counselors can help you apply and compare drug plans for free.

Extra state payment with SSI

Nevada adds a small state supplement to SSI for people who are aged (65 and over) or blind. People who get SSI only because of a disability get no state supplement.

• Aged, living on your own: $36.40 a month on top of the federal payment of $994, for a total of $1,030.40.
• Blind, living on your own: $109.30 a month extra.
• In a licensed group care home (domiciliary care): the total payment is higher, $1,385 a month for an aged or blind person.

Social Security pays the supplement for Nevada, in the same check as your federal SSI. You do not apply separately; your SSI application covers it.

Food help

SNAP helps you buy food. In Nevada it is run by DSS.

• Apply: online at accessnevada.nv.gov, or print the Application for Assistance and mail, fax or drop it off at your local DSS office.
• If everyone in your home gets SSI, you can apply for SNAP at a Social Security office.
• If you have little or no money, tell the office. You may get food help within 7 business days.
• Check your SNAP balance: call (866) 281-2443.
• Medical costs count: if you are 60 or older or get certain disability payments, medical bills you pay yourself above $35 a month can be deducted from your income. Your housing costs also count without the usual cap. Keep your receipts.
• Senior Nutrition and Wellness: a free monthly food box for people 60 and older with income at or below 150% of the poverty level. It is run by the Nevada Department of Agriculture. In Southern Nevada, go to thejustoneproject.org/csfp. In Northern Nevada, go to fbnn.org/gethelp/seniors. In Elko, call the Elko Senior Center at (775) 738-3030.
• Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program: coupons for fresh produce at farmers' markets for Nevada residents 60 and older. For 2026, income must be at or below $29,526 a year for one senior or $40,034 for two. Sign up at a local distributing site; coupons are first come, first served. Call (775) 353-3758.
• Meals for older adults: Nevada's Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD) funds senior meal programs. Ask Nevada Care Connection (below) about meals near you.

Help staying at home

• Home and Community Based Services Waiver for the Frail Elderly: for people 65 and over who need the level of care a nursing home gives but want to stay at home. ADSD runs it. Services can include case management, homemaker help, adult day care, a companion, an emergency call button, chores, respite for caregivers, and extra personal care in assisted living or group homes. You must also qualify financially.
• How to apply: fill out ADSD's program application and send it to your nearest ADSD office, or call a regional office and apply by phone. An intake worker will contact you.
• PACE: Nevada Medicaid has been working toward a PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program, but we could not confirm that one is open. Ask MAP or Nevada Care Connection.

Property tax and housing help

• Tax cap on your home: if you own and live in your home, Nevada limits how much your property tax can go up each year. For fiscal year 2026-27 the cap is 3%. Ask your county assessor to make sure your home is listed as your primary residence.
• Surviving spouse exemption: if your husband or wife has died and you have not remarried, you may get a small property tax exemption. The amount changes each year. File an affidavit with your county assessor.
• Blind and disabled veteran exemptions: Nevada also has exemptions for people who are blind and for veterans with a service-connected disability. Ask your county assessor.

We did not find a state property tax exemption based only on age. Ask your county assessor what you may qualify for.

Help with energy bills

The Energy Assistance Program (EAP), run by DSS, gives a once-a-year credit on your heating and electric bills.

• Income: gross income up to $1,995 a month for one person or $2,705 for two.
• Benefit: usually paid straight to your energy company. The minimum yearly payment is $360.
• High medical bills: if your income is over the limit, out-of-pocket medical costs may be subtracted.
• Apply: at any DSS office or EAP office, or by email to [email protected]. Call (775) 684-0730 (Reno and Carson City), (702) 486-1404 (Las Vegas) or (800) 992-0900 toll-free.

Free help and counseling

• Nevada Medicare Assistance Program (MAP): Nevada's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Free, unbiased Medicare counseling by phone, online or in person. MAP can also check you for Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Programs, and helps you report Medicare fraud. Call 800-307-4444 or email [email protected].
• Nevada Care Connection: Nevada's Aging and Disability Resource Center network. Staff help you find services, check what you may qualify for, and fill out applications. Visit nevadacareconnection.org to find your local office.
• Aging and Disability Services Division (ADSD): the state agency for older adults, at adsd.nv.gov.

How to apply

Check what you may qualify for