Benefits for seniors in Tennessee

Medicaid for people 65 and over

Tennessee's Medicaid program is TennCare.

• If you get SSI, you get TennCare. The SSI income limit is $994 a month for one person, and the resource limit is $2,000. See our SSI page.
• Some people who lost SSI because of a Social Security raise or a widow's benefit can keep TennCare under "SSI Related" rules.
• Tennessee does not list a separate full-Medicaid group for older adults with income above the SSI level who live at home and do not need long-term care. If that is you, look at the Medicare Savings Programs below.

What it covers: doctor, hospital and other medical care. With Medicare, TennCare helps with costs Medicare does not cover.

Long-term care

Institutional Medicaid covers nursing home care and home care for people who need that level of care. In 2026 the income limit is $2,982 a month and the countable asset limit is $2,000. The home you live in does not count. TennCare looks back five years at money or property you gave away or sold for less than it was worth.

Estate recovery: If you were 55 or older and got long-term care through CHOICES, TennCare may seek repayment from your estate after you die. It does not collect while a spouse, a child under 21, or a blind or disabled child survives you. Your family is not personally responsible for the debt.

Help paying Medicare costs

TennCare runs the federal Medicare Savings Programs. These are not full Medicaid. They help with Medicare costs only.

• QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary): pays your Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles and co-pays. Income at or below 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): pays your Part B premium. Income up to 120% of poverty, about $1,616 a month for one person or $2,184 for a couple.
• QI-1 (Qualifying Individual): pays your Part B premium while federal money lasts. Income up to 135% of poverty, about $1,816 a month for one person or $2,455 for a couple. You cannot be on TennCare at the same time.

Asset limit: $9,950 for one person or $14,910 for a couple. Tennessee uses the federal limits.

If you qualify for any of these, you also get Extra Help with drug costs automatically. Some income is not counted, so apply even if you are a little over.

Prescription drug help

Tennessee does not have a state drug program for people with Medicare. The state's CoverRx program is only for people 18 to 64 who do not have any part of Medicare.

If you have Medicare, the main help is the federal Extra Help program for Medicare Part D. With Extra Help, you pay no more than $5.10 for a generic drug and $12.65 for a brand-name drug in 2026. TN SHIP counselors can help you apply and compare drug plans for free.

Extra state payment with SSI

Tennessee does not pay an extra state payment to people on SSI. Social Security's list of state supplements shows no optional supplement for Tennessee. If you get SSI, you get only the federal payment, which is $994 a month for one person in 2026.

Food help

SNAP (food stamps) is run by the Tennessee Department of Human Services.

• Apply online through the One DHS Customer Portal at https://onedhs.tn.gov/csp, any time of day.
• Apply by phone through the One DHS Contact Center at 1-833-772-8347 (TTY 711).
• Apply on paper at your local Family Assistance Office.

Special rules if someone in your home is 60 or older or disabled (federal SNAP rules):

• You only have to pass the net income test, not the gross income test.
• Your household can have up to $4,750 in countable resources.
• Medical costs over $35 a month that you pay yourself can be deducted. Keep receipts.
• There is no cap on the shelter deduction for rent, mortgage and utilities.

Senior meals: Anyone 60 and over, and their spouse, can eat at more than 150 group meal sites across the state. Home-delivered meals are for people who are sick or have trouble getting food. Meals may be free, and donations are welcome. Call your Area Agency on Aging and Disability at 1-866-836-6678.

Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program: If you are 60 or older with income at or below 130% of the federal poverty guidelines, you may get checks to buy fresh produce at farmers markets. It is offered only in some counties, including Davidson, Dyer, Shelby, Hamblen and Warren. Ask your Area Agency on Aging and Disability.

Help staying at home

CHOICES is TennCare's long-term care program for people 65 and over and adults 21 and over with a physical disability. It pays for nursing home care, or for help with daily activities at home for people who need that level of care or are at risk of needing it.

You must meet the income and asset limits for long-term care (see above) or get SSI. Under Consumer Direction, you can hire and schedule your own care workers, including some family members or friends.

How to apply for CHOICES: If you are not on TennCare yet, call your Area Agency on Aging and Disability at 1-866-836-6678. If you are already on TennCare, call your health plan. The TennCare LTSS Help Desk is 1-877-224-0219.

OPTIONS for Community Living: a state-funded program for adults 18 and over who need help with daily tasks. It can provide homemaker help, personal care and home-delivered meals, based on need and what is available. There is no income limit, but you may pay a share based on a sliding fee scale. Older Americans Act in-home services for people 60 and over work the same way. Call 1-866-836-6678 to apply.

PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly): For people 55 and over who live in Hamilton County, need nursing-home-level care, and can live safely at home. Call TennCare at 1-800-342-3145 to learn more.

Property tax and housing help

Property Tax Relief helps low-income homeowners who are 65 or older (or disabled) pay part of their property tax on their main home.

• You must be 65 on or before December 31, 2026.
• For the 2026 tax year, total 2025 income for you, your spouse and any co-owners must be no more than $38,470.
• The relief is figured on up to $33,600 of your home's market value.
• Disabled homeowners of any age can also apply. You must be disabled on or before December 31, 2026.
• Disabled veterans with certain service-connected disabilities, and their surviving spouses, can get relief figured on up to $175,000 of market value.
• Apply through your county trustee or city tax office when you get your 2026 tax bill. The deadline is 35 days after the delinquency date, and your taxes must be paid by then too.
• Questions: Comptroller's Tax Relief office, 615-747-8871 or 1-800-221-9927.

Property Tax Freeze: Some counties and cities freeze the property tax on your home at the amount owed the year you first qualify. Only places that have adopted the program offer it (28 counties and 37 cities as of 2026).

• You must be 65 by the end of the year you apply, and reapply every year with your county trustee or city tax office.
• Each place sets its own income limit. Davidson, Knox, Shelby and Rutherford counties use the local option limit of $63,470 for 2026.

Help with energy bills

LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) gives a one-time payment toward heating or cooling bills while funds last. The Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) oversees it, and 19 local agencies serve all 95 counties.

• Households at or below 60% of the State Median Income may qualify. For the 2027 program year that is up to $32,861 a year for one person.
• Households with someone 60 or older are served first. Local agencies may also open early sign-up for older and disabled people.
• For the 2027 program year, regular payments range from $300 to $800. The payment goes straight to your utility company.
• Crisis help is available all year if your power is about to be cut off or you are running out of delivered fuel.
• Apply online through THDA's LIHEAP page, or get help from your county's local agency. THDA: 1-800-228-THDA.

Free help and counseling

• TN SHIP (Tennessee State Health Insurance Assistance Program): free, unbiased Medicare counseling, including help with drug plans, Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs. Call 1-877-801-0044 or email [email protected].
• Area Agencies on Aging and Disability (AAAD): local help with CHOICES, meals, in-home services and benefits. Call 1-866-836-6678 from anywhere in Tennessee to reach yours.
• Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging: the state agency for aging services. Call 1-800-535-9725.

How to apply

Check what you may qualify for