Maryland Medicaid Medical Day Care Services Waiver
Medical Day Care is a Maryland Medicaid service that pays for a day program with nursing and health care for adults who need a nursing facility level of care but live at home. It sits alongside our Maryland Long-Term Care Medicaid guide, which covers the nursing home rules.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type of program | Medicaid adult day health benefit |
| Who runs it | Maryland Department of Health (MDH) |
| Age | 16 and older |
| Care need | Needs a nursing facility level of care |
| Maryland 2026 income rule (long-term care) | No fixed cap for nursing home care: medically needy route (income goes toward care) |
| Maryland 2026 asset limit (single applicant) | $2,500 (medically needy, used for nursing home care); $2,000 categorically needy |
| Waiting list | Depends on center capacity |
Medical Day Care in brief
Put simply, responsibility for Medical Day Care sits with Maryland Department of Health (MDH). Who it is for: 16 and older. Care need required: Needs a nursing facility level of care. As for waiting: Depends on center capacity. The sections below repeat these points with more detail, and our state guide covers the Maryland rules that apply to every long-term care program. Families weighing Medical Day Care against other Maryland options can use the related pages at the end to compare programs side by side.
What the program is
Medical Day Care is delivered in licensed centers and is paid for through Maryland’s Medical Day Care Services Waiver. Each center has nurses, aides, social workers and therapists, and builds a plan of care for each participant. A participant usually attends several days a week for most of the day and returns home in the evening. Because it requires a nursing facility level of care, Medical Day Care is aimed at people whose health needs are serious enough that, without daytime care and supervision, they might need a nursing home.
Medical Day Care is a licensed daytime program; participants come in on set days and return home each evening. The difference from a social day program is the health care: nursing, medication help and therapy alongside meals and activities. For family caregivers who work during the day, it can make the difference between keeping a parent at home and needing a nursing home. See Adult day care.
Who qualifies in 2026
To get Medical Day Care, a person generally has to meet each of these:
- Is 16 or older
- Has full Maryland Medicaid
- Needs a nursing facility level of care (certified)
- Has a medical order for medical day care
- Is not enrolled at the same time in another Medicaid HCBS waiver, PACE or a similar capitated program
Income and assets. The person must have Maryland Medicaid. Maryland’s rules are in our state guide. The income and asset figures in the table above are Maryland’s 2026 Long-Term Care Medicaid figures from our state guide. The home (up to the equity limit, when the person or a spouse lives there or plans to return), one vehicle, belongings and a small burial fund are generally not counted by Maryland Medicaid. If only one spouse needs Medical Day Care, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.
About the level-of-care assessment. Maryland Medicaid’s assessment covers daily activities, from bathing and dressing to toileting and medications, plus memory and safety. A nurse or social worker working with Maryland Medicaid usually does it in person, wherever the person is living. Have a relative present to describe the hard days, and keep a medication and diagnosis list handy. See Nursing home level of care and Activities of daily living.
What services it can pay for
What a participant receives under Medical Day Care follows the care plan. Possible services include:
- Nursing
- Personal care
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy
- Meals
- Social services
- Activities
- Transportation
Not every participant gets every service; the plan reflects assessed need and the help family already gives. A change in health is a reason to request a reassessment.
How to apply
Getting Medical Day Care means passing a money test and a care test. Step by step:
- Contact a medical day care center.
- Get a physician order.
- Complete the level of care assessment.
Our documents checklist and Applying for a waiver guide list the paperwork.
Waiting lists
Maryland’s published materials for the Medical Day Care Services Waiver do not describe a statewide waiting list. Individual centers can be full.
See Waiver waiting lists for general tips.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
Medical Day Care uses the same nursing facility level of care as a nursing home. It is designed to help people keep living at home with family, who provide care in the evenings and at night. Families often pair it with Community First Choice personal assistance at home. If needs grow beyond what day care and home help can cover, nursing home Medicaid remains available.
What is the same as nursing home Medicaid. As in nearly every state, Maryland’s financial rules for home and community programs follow its nursing home rules closely. Gifts and below-value transfers in the five-year look-back can trigger a penalty period for home care as well as nursing home care. Maryland Medicaid can also use estate recovery to seek repayment for long-term care services received after 55. Under Medical Day Care, income above an allowance may go toward the cost of care each month.
Income in a nursing home. In 2026, Maryland lets a nursing home resident keep $106 a month for personal needs; the rest of their income mostly pays toward care. Details are in our state guide.
Tips for families
- Begin before it is urgent. Every step of Medical Day Care takes time, and an early request protects your place.
- Keep a paper trail: copies of forms and notices, plus the names and dates of every call to Maryland Medicaid.
- Watch the deadlines on notices. A denial or cut can be appealed through a fair hearing, and a timely request can keep services going meanwhile.
- Report changes promptly, including income, assets, a move or a new living arrangement.
- Expect yearly reviews of both Medicaid eligibility and the care assessment. See Renewals.
- Think about the spouse at home. Couples have extra protections, but they have to be claimed. A certified Medicaid planner or a legal aid office can explain how the rules apply to a particular family.
Common questions
Is Medical Day Care a waiver? Yes. Maryland pays for it through the Medical Day Care Services Waiver, so a person cannot be enrolled in another Medicaid HCBS waiver or PACE at the same time.
Is transportation included? Many centers provide or arrange transportation.
How many days a week can someone attend? Days are set in the plan of care based on need and the medical order.
Can someone with dementia attend? Yes, if they meet the level of care and the center can meet their needs.
Related pages
- Maryland Long-Term Care Medicaid guide
- Adult day care
- Three kinds of Long-Term Care Medicaid
- PACE programs
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.