MassHealth Moving Forward Plan Residential Supports (MFP-RS) Waiver
The Moving Forward Plan Residential Supports (MFP-RS) Waiver helps people who have been in a nursing facility or certain hospitals for at least 90 days move to a provider-operated residence with 24-hour staff. It sits alongside our Massachusetts 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 | Program for people moving out of a nursing home |
| Who runs it | MassHealth |
| Age | 65 and older, or 18 and older with a disability |
| Care need | Facility level of care and 24-hour supervision |
| Massachusetts 2026 income rule (long-term care) | Home care waivers: under $2,982 a month (300% of the SSI rate) |
| Massachusetts 2026 asset limit (single applicant) | $2,000 |
| Waiting list | Can be limited |
MFP-RS in brief
Put simply, responsibility for MFP-RS sits with MassHealth. Who it is for: 65 and older, or 18 and older with a disability. Care need required: Facility level of care and 24-hour supervision. On waiting lists, the current picture is: Can be limited. The sections below repeat these points with more detail, and our state guide covers the Massachusetts rules that apply to every long-term care program. Families weighing MFP-RS against other Massachusetts options can use the related pages at the end to compare programs side by side.
What the program is
MFP-RS is for people leaving a facility who need staff available around the clock. Participants move to a provider-operated residence, such as a small group home or an assisted living residence, where staff provide supervision, personal care and support. MassHealth’s MFP waivers are the state’s waivers for nursing facility and long-stay hospital residents who want to return to the community, and a transition coordinator helps plan the move.
Transition programs such as MFP-RS move people out of facilities and into homes or small residences, with services arranged before the move. Many draw on the federal Money Follows the Person program for one-time costs and planning.
Who qualifies in 2026
To get MFP-RS, a person generally has to meet each of these:
- Has been in a facility for at least 90 days
- Is 65 or older, or 18 or older with a disability
- Meets facility level of care
- Needs 24-hour supervision
- Qualifies for full Medicaid under Massachusetts’s long-term care financial rules (see the money test below)
Financial eligibility. Applicants for MFP-RS must meet Massachusetts’s long-term care Medicaid financial rules. The income and asset figures in the table above are Massachusetts’s 2026 Long-Term Care Medicaid figures from our state guide. MassHealth’s countable assets do not usually include the home (within the equity limit, if the applicant or a spouse lives there or intends to return), one car, personal belongings and a small burial fund. If only one spouse needs MFP-RS, spousal impoverishment rules protect assets and income for the other. See Spousal impoverishment rules.
How the care assessment works. The care test looks at how much help a person needs with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, moving around and taking medicines, and at memory problems and supervision needs. A nurse or social worker working with MassHealth 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
Services depend on the person’s assessed needs and written care plan. Depending on the plan, they can include:
- Residential habilitation
- Assisted living services
- Shared living
- Day services
- Transportation
Not every participant gets every service; the plan reflects assessed need and the help family already gives. When needs grow, request an updated assessment.
How to apply
Getting MFP-RS means passing a money test and a care test. Step by step:
- Tell the facility social worker the person wants to move to an MFP residence.
- Apply for the waiver.
- Assessment.
Our documents checklist and Applying for a waiver guide list the paperwork.
Waiting lists
MFP waivers have a set number of slots. When they are full, eligible applicants may wait.
See Waiver waiting lists for general tips.
How it relates to nursing home Medicaid
MFP-RS is a path out of a nursing facility or long-stay hospital for people who need 24-hour support but not a nursing home. The financial rules for MassHealth waivers apply, and the participant pays room and board in the residence from their own income.
Rules shared with nursing home Medicaid. Most money rules carry over from nursing home Medicaid. 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. After death, estate recovery can reach services paid from age 55 on. Some participants pay a monthly share of income toward services.
If a nursing home becomes necessary. A Massachusetts nursing home resident keeps a 2026 personal needs allowance of $72.80 a month, and most other income goes to the facility. Our state guide covers the nursing home rules in detail.
Tips for families
- Do not wait for a crisis. Lists and assessments for MFP-RS take time, and the start date is usually when you first request help.
- Document everything, from forms and letters to who you spoke with at MassHealth and when.
- 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.
- Tell MassHealth about changes in money, address or household as they happen.
- Expect yearly reviews of both Medicaid eligibility and the care assessment. See Renewals.
- Get help with complex MFP-RS cases, such as a spouse at home or past gifts. A certified Medicaid planner or a legal aid office can review how Massachusetts’s rules fit a family’s situation.
Common questions
How long must I have been in a facility? At least 90 days in a nursing facility or a chronic disease, rehabilitation or psychiatric hospital.
What if I do not need 24-hour support? The MFP Community Living Waiver is for people who need less than 24-hour support.
Does MFP-RS pay rent? No. The participant pays room and board.
Related pages
- Massachusetts Long-Term Care Medicaid guide
- MassHealth MFP-CL
- 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.