Arkansas Medicaid State Plan Personal Care
Arkansas Medicaid covers personal care as a regular state plan service. It pays for an aide to help with bathing, dressing, eating and similar activities at home, for people who have full Medicaid and are assessed as needing that help. For the wider picture, see our Arkansas Long-Term Care Medicaid guide.
Figures change periodically. Double-check current amounts before relying on them.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type of program | Medicaid state plan personal care benefit |
| Who runs it | Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) |
| Age | Adults and children with full Medicaid |
| Care need | Needs hands-on help with daily activities (not necessarily a nursing home level of care) |
| Arkansas 2026 income rule (long-term care) | $2,982 a month (nursing facility, ARChoices, PACE) |
| Arkansas 2026 asset limit (single applicant) | $2,000 |
| Waiting list | No. It is a state plan benefit |
Arkansas personal care in brief
To sum up, Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) oversees Arkansas personal care. It serves adults and children with full Medicaid, and the care requirement is: Needs hands-on help with daily activities (not necessarily a nursing home level of care). On waiting lists, the current picture is: No. It is a state plan benefit. The sections below repeat these points with more detail, and our state guide covers the Arkansas rules that apply to every long-term care program. If Arkansas personal care is not the right fit, the related pages at the end point to other Arkansas programs and general guides.
What the program is
Personal care in Arkansas is ordered as part of a service plan, based on an assessment of the person’s physical needs. Services are provided by enrolled personal care agencies (and in some settings, residential care facilities). Because it is part of the state plan, it does not have the slot limits that waivers have, but the hours are capped by the assessment and program rules.
Arkansas personal care is part of Arkansas’s regular Medicaid benefits rather than a waiver. State plan benefits generally cannot have enrollment caps, so a person who has full Medicaid and an assessed need for hands-on help can get the service without waiting for a slot. The trade-off is that state plan personal care is narrower: it focuses on help with daily activities and lacks the wider menu of supports a waiver offers. See In-home care.
Who qualifies in 2026
In Arkansas, the basic requirements for Arkansas personal care are that the person:
- Has full Arkansas Medicaid (the person must already qualify under a Medicaid category)
- Is assessed as needing hands-on help with activities of daily living
- Has a service plan authorized under Arkansas Medicaid rules
- Lives in Arkansas and is a U.S. citizen or qualified non-citizen
Income and assets. The person must already have full Medicaid. For many older adults that means SSI-related Medicaid, which has lower income limits than the long-term care rules. Some people qualify through long-term care categories. The table’s figures are Arkansas’s 2026 long-term care numbers, taken 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 Arkansas DHS. If only one spouse needs Arkansas personal care, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.
What the care test means in practice. Arkansas DHS’s assessment covers daily activities, from bathing and dressing to toileting and medications, plus memory and safety. The visit is normally face to face, at home or in a hospital or facility. 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
The plan of care decides which services are used. Arkansas personal care can cover:
- Help with bathing, grooming and dressing
- Help with eating
- Help with toileting and continence
- Help with moving, walking and transfers
- Incidental housekeeping and laundry tied to personal care
The menu is broad, but the plan is built from need, and unpaid family help is factored in. If needs change, ask for a new assessment.
How to apply
Applying usually involves two decisions: one about money (financial eligibility for Medicaid) and one about care needs. In plain terms, the steps are:
- Make sure the person has full Arkansas Medicaid. Apply through DHS if not.
- Get a referral for personal care from the person’s doctor or a personal care agency.
- An assessment is done to decide what help is needed and how many hours.
- The agency provides services under the approved plan.
For the paperwork, use our documents checklist before applying for Arkansas personal care; Applying for a waiver explains the general process.
Waiting lists
There is no waiting list for state plan personal care, because it is a regular Medicaid benefit. Delays usually come from getting the assessment and authorization.
See Waiver waiting lists for general tips.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
State plan personal care is for people who need some help but may not need a nursing home level of care. It is often the first step. People whose needs grow may move to ARChoices or Living Choices, which require an intermediate nursing home level of care, or eventually to a nursing home.
What is the same as nursing home Medicaid. Arkansas’s financial rules for Arkansas personal care track the nursing home rules closely. The five-year look-back still matters: a transfer for less than fair value can delay payment for long-term care services. Estate recovery also applies: the state can seek repayment from the estate of a person who received long-term care services after age 55. Some participants pay a monthly share of income toward services.
Personal needs allowance. If the person does move to a nursing home, Arkansas’s 2026 personal needs allowance is $40 a month. Most of the rest of their income goes toward the cost of care. Details are in our state guide.
Tips for families
- Do not wait for a crisis. Lists and assessments for Arkansas personal care take time, and the start date is usually when you first request help.
- Keep copies of every Arkansas personal care form, notice and letter, and write down the name of each person you speak with and the date.
- Read every notice. If services are denied, cut or ended, the notice explains how to request a fair hearing and the deadline. Requesting one before the deadline often keeps services in place during the appeal.
- Tell Arkansas DHS about changes in money, address or household as they happen.
- 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
Do I need to meet nursing home level of care? Generally no. Personal care is based on need for hands-on help, not on nursing home level of care.
Is there a limit on hours? Yes. Hours are set by the assessment and Arkansas Medicaid’s limits.
Can I get personal care and ARChoices at the same time? ARChoices includes attendant care, so the programs are coordinated to avoid paying twice for the same help.
Related pages
- Arkansas Long-Term Care Medicaid guide
- ARChoices in Homecare
- In-home 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.