Ohio PASSPORT Waiver: Ohio 2026 Guide
Ohio’s PASSPORT Waiver pays for home and community-based care for Ohioans 60 and older who need a nursing home level of care. It is administered by the Ohio Department of Aging, with local PASSPORT Administrative Agencies, mostly the regional Area Agencies on Aging, doing assessments and case management.
Here is a plain-language walk-through of PASSPORT: who qualifies in 2026, what help it covers, how a family gets started, whether there is a wait, and how it connects to nursing home coverage. For the full statewide rules on income, assets, spouses and the look-back, see our Ohio Medicaid guide.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
What PASSPORT is
PASSPORT is a 1915(c) waiver. A case manager from the local PASSPORT Administrative Agency visits the person at home, completes an assessment and writes a person-centered service plan. Participants can choose agency services or consumer-directed options, in which they hire and supervise their own workers, including some family members. Ohio is moving to a new care management system for people who are not in MyCare Ohio, so the way PASSPORT is organized may change over time.
A home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver is a Medicaid program a state runs with federal approval. “Waiver” means the state may set aside some normal Medicaid rules, such as the rule that long-term care is paid only in a nursing home, so it can pay for care at home or in a community setting instead. Waivers are optional for states, so each sets its own services and, often, a limit on enrollment. Unlike regular Medicaid, a waiver is usually not an entitlement: qualifying does not guarantee an opening.
Who qualifies in 2026
Ohio looks at both how much help a person needs and what they own and earn. In general, to qualify for PASSPORT an applicant must:
- be 60 or older;
- live in Ohio in their own home or another approved setting, outside the MyCare Ohio program;
- meet a nursing facility level of care, as determined by the PASSPORT Administrative Agency;
- meet Ohio Medicaid’s long-term care financial rules; and
- be able to live safely at home with PASSPORT services.
The money test. PASSPORT uses Ohio’s long-term care Medicaid financial rules, which are usually the same income and asset limits used for nursing home Medicaid. Bank and investment accounts count toward the limit, but a home, one vehicle, household goods and limited burial funds generally do not. Gifts and below-value sales in the last 60 months are reviewed, and a transfer penalty can push back the start of services.
Ohio has an income cap. In 2026, gross monthly income must be $2,982 or less, and people with higher income can set up a Qualified Income Trust. The single-person asset limit is $2,000. Some PASSPORT participants pay a monthly patient liability toward their services.
For reference, these are Ohio’s key 2026 long-term care Medicaid figures:
| Item | 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| Income limit (applicant) | $2,982 a month (Special Income Level). Above this, a Qualified Income Trust is needed |
| Asset limit (single applicant) | $2,000 |
| Asset limit (couple, both applying) | $3,000 |
| Home equity limit | $752,000 |
| 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) | $75 a month (plus up to $65 of earned income) |
| Look-back period | 60 months (5 years) |
Married applicants. When one spouse applies and the other stays at home, spousal impoverishment protections generally apply, so the spouse at home can keep a share of the couple’s assets and may receive part of the applicant’s income. The spousal allowance pages explain how these amounts are figured.
Services PASSPORT can cover
Services are listed in a written plan of care, built from the assessment and the person’s goals. Not everyone gets every service. Depending on need, PASSPORT can include:
- case management
- personal care and homemaker services
- adult day services
- home-delivered meals
- emergency response systems
- minor home modifications and repairs
- home medical equipment and supplies
- non-medical transportation
- chore services
- community transition services
- alternative meals
- enhanced community living services
- consumer-directed personal care
What is usually not covered. Waivers pay for care and support, not rent, food or other living costs, so in an assisted living or residential setting the person usually pays room and board from their own income. Plans of care are built around any unpaid help family already gives, and doctor, hospital and drug coverage continue separately.
How to apply for PASSPORT
The usual sequence for PASSPORT is below. Running the financial application and the care assessment in parallel can shorten the wait.
- Contact your local Area Agency on Aging (PASSPORT Administrative Agency) and ask for a PASSPORT assessment.
- A nurse or social worker visits to assess level of care and explain options.
- Apply for Ohio Medicaid through the state’s benefits website or the county Job and Family Services office, if not already enrolled.
- Once financial and clinical eligibility are approved, the case manager writes the service plan.
- Choose providers, and services start.
Tips for the paperwork. Keep a folder of copies, and log every call with the date and name. Assessors only see one visit, so describe what a difficult day looks like and have a regular helper in the room. Cognitive problems and fall risk count toward need. If services are denied, the notice lists the deadline to appeal.
Waiting lists and timing
PASSPORT has generally not had a statewide waiting list in recent years, but processing and provider availability can affect start times.
Starting the process early keeps options open if a wait develops. Stopgaps can include state plan home care, adult day centers, PACE where it operates and local aging services. The waiver waiting lists page explains common rules.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
PASSPORT and nursing home Medicaid serve the same group of people; the difference is where care is given. Nursing home coverage cannot be capped, but waiver enrollment sometimes is. Switching settings is possible in both directions: from home to a nursing home if needs grow, and back home with help from Money Follows the Person.
Tips for families
Begin before the situation is urgent; every step takes longer than families expect. Gather five years of bank statements before the caseworker requests them, and keep a two-week care diary before the assessment. If income is above the limit, a Miller trust or a spend-down may apply, depending on the state. If money has been given to family in the past five years, get advice before applying. When care needs grow, a new assessment can be requested at any time.
Working with a Certified Medicaid Planner is often the fastest way through PASSPORT. A planner who handles Ohio cases regularly can spot eligibility problems before the Ohio Department of Medicaid does, organize the records and help plan around any wait. Costs range widely, from about $150 to $600 an hour, about $500 to $6,000 for application help, and about $2,500 to $15,000 or more for full planning.
Related pages
- Ohio Medicaid guide
- Ohio Assisted Living Waiver
- MyCare Ohio
- HCBS waivers explained
- Applying for a waiver
- Nursing home level of care
- Waiver waiting lists
- The five-year look-back
Last updated for 2026. General information only, not legal or financial advice. Medicaid Answers is a free educational resource published by Medicaid Answers Foundation.