Social Security benefits, including retirement, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), can be used to cover nursing home costs. Also, many states provide optional state supplement (OSS) payments to people who receive SSI. Depending on the length of your loved one’s stay, Social Security benefits may not cover the entire cost. Federal law forbids nursing homes from seizing patients’ income and assets — such as Social Security payments and pensions — unless their accounts are in default, but it does permit nursing homes to serve as representative payees and accept Social Security and other payments directly.
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Social Security benefit payments can be used to pay nursing home expenses. The four types of Social Security benefits are:
| Benefit Program | Who Qualifies? | Average Monthly Payment (2025) | Can It Be Used for Nursing Home Care? | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security Retirement | Workers (62+ years) and their spouses who paid into Social Security | $1,979 | Yes | Based on past earnings |
| Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) | People unable to work due to disability | $1,581 | Yes | Based on past earnings; converts to retirement benefits at full retirement age |
| Supplemental Security Income (SSI) | Low-income seniors (65+ years) and disabled individuals | $590 | Yes | Often paired with Medicaid, which may cover care services |
| Optional State Supplements (OSS) | SSI recipients in some states | Varies by state | Yes | Some states pay facilities directly; others pay individuals |
Yes. If your loved one’s total income, including their Social Security retirement payment, is less than $987 per month in 2025, they can apply for SSI.[01]
If your loved one qualifies for SSI, they’re also likely to qualify for Medicaid and, thus, state benefit programs. The National Council on Aging’s Benefits CheckUp tool can help you and your loved one understand what programs may be available.
The national median monthly cost for a semi-private room in a nursing home is $8,669, and a private room is $9,733.[02] How much of that cost will be covered by your loved one’s Social Security benefits depends on what kind of benefits they receive. For example:
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SSI benefit payments are reduced to $30 per month for patients whose nursing home stay is paid for by Medicaid.[06] However, if your loved one and their doctor complete Form SSA-186, they should be able to continue receiving SSI benefits during nursing home stays of 90 days or less.[07]
If your loved one isn’t eligible for Medicaid, their SSDI or Social Security retirement benefits won’t be reduced during a nursing home stay.
A nursing home generally cannot legally seize a patient’s funds, whether they come from Social Security, a pension, a retirement account, or another source.
An exception to this is if your loved one’s account is in default and the nursing home has turned it over to a collection agency. In this case, your loved one’s income and assets, including monthly Social Security payments, pension, and retirement benefits may be used to pay their bills.[08]
Social Security payments are generally made directly to recipients.[09] Optional state supplement (OSS) benefit programs may pay recipients directly or they may pay the nursing home on recipients’ behalf.
If your loved one is unable to manage their finances, they can designate you or someone else — including a nursing home — to serve in the role of representative payee. If your loved one’s nursing home is their representative payee, the Social Security Administration can pay them directly on your loved one’s behalf.[10]
For a nursing home patient who meets their state’s Medicaid income and asset limits, Medicaid will work with the nursing home to ensure it receives the patient’s liability, or the patient’s share of the cost of care. Each patient’s liability is different and depends on the patient’s situation and the cost of the nursing home.[11]
Even if your loved one qualifies for more than one type of Social Security benefit, it’s possible that those benefits won’t be enough to cover the full cost of their stay in a nursing home. To cover the remaining costs of a nursing home stay, families often rely on other forms of income, such as:
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If nursing home care is right for your senior loved one, it’s a good idea to tour a variety of communities. Ask for an itemized price sheet to get an idea of how much nursing home care will cost and to determine how far your loved one’s Social Security benefits will go toward covering the costs.
When Social Security won’t cover all the costs of a nursing home stay, A Place for Mom’s trusted Senior Living Advisors will work to understand your family’s financial situation and how to approach paying for care. Our experts can also explain the benefits, services, and costs of alternatives to a nursing home, including home care, assisted living, and memory care.
Key Takeaways
Portalatin-Perez L. (2025, January 16). You may be eligible for SSI and Social Security benefits. Social Security Matters.
Genworth. (2025, March 4). Genworth and CareScout release Cost of Care Survey results for 2024.
Social Security Administration. (2025, January 2). What is the average monthly benefit for a retired worker?
Social Security Administration. (2025). Disabled worker average benefits.
Social Security Administration. (2025). How much could you get from SSI?
Social Security Administration. (2024). Supplemental Security Income (SSI) living arrangements.
Social Security Administration. (2024). What happens to my SSI benefits if I go into a nursing home or hospital?
Villanova P. (2023, October 30). Can a nursing home take our assets? We have a $500K IRA and a trust to protect us. SmartAsset.
Gasparini J. (2020, September 30). Get all your federal benefit payments in one account using direct payment. Social Security Matters.
Social Security Administration. Representative Payee.
American Council on Aging. (2025, January 7). Nursing home patient liability: what Medicaid pays and income the beneficiary can keep.
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