New Jersey FamilyCare Managed Long Term Services and Supports: New Jersey 2026 Guide

New Jersey delivers almost all Long-Term Care Medicaid, including nursing home care, assisted living and care at home, through Managed Long Term Services and Supports (MLTSS). MLTSS is part of NJ FamilyCare, the state’s Medicaid program, and is overseen by the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services (DMAHS) in the Department of Human Services, with clinical eligibility set by the Division of Aging Services.

This page explains, in plain language, who can get MLTSS in 2026, what it pays for, how to apply, what to expect if there is a waiting list, and how it fits with nursing home Medicaid. For the full statewide rules on income, assets, spouses and the look-back, see our New Jersey Medicaid guide.

Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.

What MLTSS is

Under MLTSS, a member enrolls in one of the NJ FamilyCare managed care plans, and the plan assigns a care manager. The care manager meets the member, assesses needs and builds a plan of care that covers both medical care and long-term services. The same plan pays for care whether the member lives at home, in an assisted living residence, in an adult family care home or in a nursing facility. MLTSS operates under New Jersey’s 1115 comprehensive demonstration.

Under managed long-term services and supports, New Jersey contracts with health plans, which then arrange and pay for members’ long-term care. A care coordinator from the plan writes and updates the care plan, and members can usually pick their plan. The state still sets the financial rules, and the right to a fair hearing still applies when a plan reduces or denies services.

Who qualifies in 2026

To get MLTSS, a person generally has to pass two separate tests, one about care need and one about money, and then receive an opening. In general, an applicant must:

be 65 or older, or 21 or older with a disability as determined by Social Security or the state;
live in New Jersey;
meet a nursing facility level of care, determined through a clinical assessment (often called a NJ Choice assessment);
meet the long-term care financial rules for NJ FamilyCare; and
enroll in an NJ FamilyCare managed care plan.

Financial rules. For MLTSS, NJ FamilyCare (DMAHS) applies the long-term care Medicaid rules for income and assets, generally the same ones used for nursing home care. Savings, investments and real estate other than the home count; the home, a car, belongings and some burial funds usually do not. Gifts made in the five years before applying can trigger a penalty that delays waiver services, just as it would delay nursing home coverage.

New Jersey is an income-cap state for long-term care: in 2026, gross income must be $2,982 a month or less, and people with higher income can still qualify by setting up a Qualified Income Trust. The single-person asset limit is $2,000.

New Jersey’s 2026 long-term care Medicaid numbers, from our state guide:

Item	2026 figure
Income limit (applicant)	$2,982 a month. Higher income needs a Qualified Income Trust
Asset limit (single applicant)	$2,000
Asset limit (couple, both applying)	$3,000
Home equity limit	$1,130,000
Spouse at home: resource allowance (CSRA)	Minimum $32,532 / maximum $162,660
Spouse at home: monthly income allowance (MMMNA)	Minimum $2,705 (from July 1, 2026) / maximum $4,066.50
Personal needs allowance (nursing home)	$50 a month
Look-back period	60 months (5 years)

Couples. Spousal impoverishment rules generally apply to waiver applicants in New Jersey, protecting a share of assets and income for the spouse at home. The spousal allowance pages explain how these amounts are figured.

Services MLTSS can cover

Services under MLTSS are authorized through the plan of care and can include:

care management
personal care assistance and home-based supportive care
adult day health and social adult day care
assisted living and adult family care
respite care
home-delivered meals
personal emergency response systems
home and vehicle modifications
medication dispensing devices
non-medical transportation
nursing facility care
self-direction of personal care through the Personal Preference Program

Limits to keep in mind. MLTSS does not pay for rent, groceries or utilities; in residential settings, room and board is the resident’s responsibility. Family help is usually factored into the plan, and medical coverage runs alongside the waiver as before.

How to apply for MLTSS

Here is how applying for MLTSS usually works. Filing the Medicaid application and the waiver request together saves time.

Apply for NJ FamilyCare long-term care through the county Board of Social Services (the county welfare agency). The online NJ FamilyCare application is for other groups, so long-term care applicants usually work with the county.
Request an MLTSS clinical assessment. Your county Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), or the plan if you are already a member, arranges it.
The Division of Aging Services decides level of care based on the assessment.
Choose a managed care plan, or one is assigned if you do not choose.
The plan’s care manager visits and writes the plan of care, and services start.

Staying organized. Copy every form before you send it and keep a simple call log. Assessors only see one visit, so describe what a difficult day looks like and have a regular helper in the room. Memory problems, falls and the need for supervision all count, even when the person can still do some tasks alone. If the answer is no, the written notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline.

Waiting lists and timing

MLTSS is an entitlement for people who qualify, so there is no waiting list for enrollment. Delays usually come from the financial application, which can take several months when five years of records must be reviewed, and from finding providers with openings.

Starting the process early keeps options open if a wait develops. In the meantime, families often combine state plan personal care, adult day, PACE in areas that have it, and Area Agency on Aging services. The waiver waiting lists page explains common rules.

How it relates to nursing home Medicaid

MLTSS also pays for nursing facility care, so a member who moves from home to a nursing home generally keeps the same plan. Members already in a nursing home when they qualified are also enrolled in MLTSS.

MLTSS usually covers both nursing facility care and care at home through the same plan, so moving between settings does not mean starting over. Either way, New Jersey’s long-term care financial rules decide eligibility, and in a nursing home most income goes toward the cost of care, minus a personal needs allowance.

Tips for families

Network matters: check whether each plan includes the providers you already rely on. Get a written copy of the care plan, and if services are reduced, get the decision in writing and note the appeal deadline. Gather five years of financial records early, and get advice before moving money, because the look-back still applies.

Many families find it worthwhile to talk with a Certified Medicaid Planner before applying for MLTSS. A planner who knows New Jersey’s rules can review income and assets, explain which program fits, map the timing against any waiting list, and help with the paperwork. Fees vary: roughly $500 to $6,000 for application help, $2,500 to $15,000 or more for full planning, and $150 to $600 an hour for advice.

Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.