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Pennsylvania Benefits Calculator: SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and Other Income Limits (2026–27)
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Pennsylvania income limits at a glance
| Program | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNAPGross income limit (200% of poverty) | $2,660 | $3,607 | $4,554 | $5,500 | $6,447 | $7,394 | $8,340 | $9,287 |
| SNAPMost SNAP a month | $306 | $562 | $808 | $1,023 | $1,217 | $1,463 | $1,616 | $1,841 |
| MedicaidAdults 19 to 64 (138% of poverty) | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 | $4,448 | $5,101 | $5,755 | $6,408 |
| MedicaidPregnant women (220% of poverty, counting the baby) | $2,926 | $3,967 | $5,009 | $6,050 | $7,091 | $8,133 | $9,174 | $10,215 |
| Medicaid and CHIPChildren 6 to 18 (319% of poverty) | $4,243 | $5,753 | $7,263 | $8,773 | $10,282 | $11,792 | $13,302 | $14,812 |
| WICIncome limit (185% of poverty) | $2,461 | $3,337 | $4,212 | $5,088 | $5,964 | $6,839 | $7,715 | $8,591 |
| School mealsFree meals (130% of poverty) | $1,729 | $2,345 | $2,960 | $3,575 | $4,191 | $4,806 | $5,421 | $6,037 |
| Child care helpIncome limit to start | – | $3,607 | $4,553 | $5,500 | $6,447 | $7,393 | $8,340 | $9,287 |
| Energy help (LIHEAP)Income limit | $1,995 | $2,705 | $3,415 | $4,125 | $4,835 | $5,545 | $6,255 | $6,965 |
Income is before taxes. Each program counts income its own way (some take off deductions first), so a household just over a limit here can still qualify: the calculator works it out properly.
Sources: SNAP – Fiscal Year 2027 Cost-of-Living Adjustments (memo and tables, signed August 21, 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (formerly Food and Nutrition Service)); 7 CFR 273.9 Income and deductions (eCFR up to date as of 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.10 Determining household eligibility and benefit levels (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); 7 CFR 273.8 Resource eligibility standards (eCFR 2026-10-29) (eCFR / National Archives (USDA rule)); Public Law 119-21 (the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act"), 4 July 2025, Title I Subtitle A "Nutrition", sections 10101-10108 (139 Stat. 81-85) (U.S. Government Publishing Office (govinfo)); SNAP Handbook, section 512.1 General Policy (Chapter 512: Categorical Eligibility) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Income Maintenance (online SNAP Handbook)); SNAP Handbook, Chapter 560 Appendix A: Tables of Maximum Allowable Deductions (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Income Maintenance (online SNAP Handbook)); Apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (pa.gov services page)); MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); Changes Coming to Medicaid in Pennsylvania in January 2027 (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Medicaid/Medical Assistance for Children and Pregnant Women (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); CHIP Eligibility and Benefits (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); MA Eligibility Handbook 312.1 General Policy (updated January 13, 2025) (State of Pennsylvania site (services.dpw.state.pa.us)); Medicaid/Medical Assistance for Children and Pregnant Women (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Changes Coming to Medicaid in Pennsylvania in January 2027 (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): 2026/2027 Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 23050-23052, FR Doc. 2026-08323, 29 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); The Food and Nutrition Assistance Landscape: Fiscal Year 2025 Annual Report (Economic Information Bulletin 304, June 2026) (USDA Economic Research Service); Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines (91 FR 17932-17935, FR Doc. 2026-06842, 9 Apr 2026) (USDA Food and Nutrition Service (Federal Register notice)); Child Care Works (CCW) program page: income guidelines (May 2026), eligibility, ages, waiting list sentence (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services); COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA (2027 LIHEAP State Plan (DHS proposed program parameters)) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services). Checked October 31, 2026.
Download every state's limits (CSV, opens in Excel) Every state and DC, households of 1 to 8 people: each program's monthly income limit and the most TANF pays, as the state pages show them, with the period each figure is for.
Where the cliffs are for a Pennsylvania family
- $4,555 a month: SNAP, WIC, Lifeline end or drop, and the family has $251 less a month than just below it.
Worked out by this site's calculator with Pennsylvania's rules as of November 1, 2026. Money left means pay, and benefits counted as money, after federal taxes, the child care bill and health insurance premiums. Your own household will differ: put it in the calculator above.
Each program in Pennsylvania
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)
Pennsylvania lets every household with gross income up to 200% of the poverty line (no limit on savings) apply (broad-based categorical eligibility). The amount still depends on income after deductions. A household that pays for heating or cooling counts a standard utility allowance of $887 a month with its rent. Where to apply.
Sources: SNAP Handbook, section 512.1 General Policy (Chapter 512: Categorical Eligibility) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Income Maintenance (online SNAP Handbook)); SNAP Handbook, Chapter 560 Appendix A: Tables of Maximum Allowable Deductions (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Income Maintenance (online SNAP Handbook)); Apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (pa.gov services page)). Checked October 31, 2026.
Medical Assistance and CHIP
Pennsylvania has expanded Medicaid, so adults 19 to 64 qualify up to 138% of the poverty line. From January 1, 2027, adults 19 to 64 covered through Pennsylvania’s Medicaid expansion must show 80 hours a month of work, community service, a work program or half-time school, or household income of at least $580 a month, to get or keep this coverage, unless they are exempt (for example, parents of a child 13 or under, people with a disability, and pregnant women). Where to apply.
| Who | % of poverty | 1 person | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babies under 1 | 220% | $2,926 | $3,967 | $5,009 | $6,050 |
| Children 1 to 5 | 162% | $2,155 | $2,921 | $3,688 | $4,455 |
| Children 6 to 18 | 138% | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 |
| Children in CHIP | 319% | $4,243 | $5,753 | $7,263 | $8,773 |
| Pregnant women | 220% | $2,926 | $3,967 | $5,009 | $6,050 |
| Parents and caretakers | 138% | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 |
| Other adults 19 to 64 | 138% | $1,835 | $2,489 | $3,142 | $3,795 |
Monthly income before taxes, counted the way Medicaid counts it (modified adjusted gross income); a pregnant woman counts the baby she expects. The percents include the 5 points of income Medicaid disregards.
Sources: MACStats Exhibit 35. Medicaid and CHIP Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Children and Pregnant Women by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); MACStats Exhibit 36. Medicaid Income Eligibility Levels as a Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level for Non-Aged, Non-Disabled, Non-Pregnant Adults by State, July 2025 (Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), a federal agency); Changes Coming to Medicaid in Pennsylvania in January 2027 (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Medicaid/Medical Assistance for Children and Pregnant Women (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); CHIP Eligibility and Benefits (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); MA Eligibility Handbook 312.1 General Policy (updated January 13, 2025) (State of Pennsylvania site (services.dpw.state.pa.us)); Medicaid/Medical Assistance for Children and Pregnant Women (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Changes Coming to Medicaid in Pennsylvania in January 2027 (PA DHS) (State of Pennsylvania site (www.pa.gov)); Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals, interim final rule with comment period, 91 FR 33348 (3 June 2026), CMS-2454-IFC, RIN 0938-AV98, effective 31 July 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via the Federal Register (read as the govinfo.gov PDF)); Public Law 119-21 (4 July 2025; 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act'; CMS now calls it the 'Working Families Tax Cut' legislation), Title VII Subtitle B Chapter 1 sections 71101-71121 (Medicaid) and 71201, 71301-71303 (U.S. Congress via the Government Publishing Office). Checked October 31, 2026.
Pennsylvania Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
Cash help for families with children. Where to apply.
Source: TANF Programs by State (Help for Families map) (HHS/ACF/Office of Family Assistance). Checked October 31, 2026.
Child Care Works
Help paying for child care while parents work or study. Where to apply.
Source: Child Care Works (CCW) program page: income guidelines (May 2026), eligibility, ages, waiting list sentence (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services). Checked October 31, 2026.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Help with heating and cooling bills, while the year's money lasts.
Source: COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA (2027 LIHEAP State Plan (DHS proposed program parameters)) (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services). Checked October 31, 2026.
Phone numbers and where to go in Pennsylvania
Each number and address below is the one Pennsylvania's own page printed when we checked it, with that page and the day under it. Where we could not read the state's page, it says "Not checked yet". Numbers change: if one does not work, the state's main page has the current one.
Applying is free. Start from the addresses here or the state's own page, not an ad or a link someone texts you, and never pay anyone to apply for you. Is this real?
Start here
Pennsylvania's benefits website
- Online
- COMPASS compass.dhs.pa.govCOMPASS (also the myCOMPASS PA mobile app; status tracker at trackmybenefits.pa.gov)Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Call
- 1-800-692-7462 DHS HelpLine: questions about SNAP, cash assistance or other benefitsPennsylvania Relay 1-800-451-5886 (hearing impairment)1-877-395-8930 Statewide Customer Service Center (215-560-7226 in Philadelphia): questions about applying for Medicaid; lost SUN Bucks/EBT card replacementSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
SNAP (food benefits)
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS); applications handled by county assistance offices (CAO)
- Call
- 1-800-692-7462 DHS HelpLine: questions about SNAP, cash assistance or other benefitsPennsylvania Relay 1-800-451-5886 (hearing impairment)1-877-395-8930 Statewide Customer Service Center (215-560-7226 in Philadelphia): questions about applying for Medicaid; lost SUN Bucks/EBT card replacementSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply compass.dhs.pa.govSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid and CHIP
Medicaid (called Medical Assistance in Pennsylvania); managed care = HealthChoices
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS); applications at county assistance offices
- Call
- 1-866-550-4355 Consumer Service Center for Health Care Coverage (apply for Medicaid by phone)1-800-986-KIDS (5437) CHIP helpline (application assistance by phone; select prompt No. 2, then prompt No. 1)Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply compass.dhs.pa.govSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), also called cash assistance
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS); county assistance offices
- Call
- 1-800-692-7462 DHS HelpLine (questions about cash assistance)Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply compass.dhs.pa.govSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
WIC
Pennsylvania WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children)
Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of WIC
- Call
- 1-800-WIC-WINS toll-free WIC Hotline: connects you to WIC office staff who schedule your appointmentSource: pawic.com, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply pawic.comSource: pawic.com, checked November 1, 2026
- Clinics
- Find a WIC clinic pawic.comSource: pawic.com, checked November 1, 2026
Child care help
Child Care Works (CCW)
Pennsylvania DHS; payments managed by the Early Learning Resource Center (ELRC) in each county
- Call
- 1-877-4-PA-KIDS (1-877-472-5437) Child Care Works helplineSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply compass.dhs.pa.govSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Help with energy bills (LIHEAP)
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS); county assistance offices
- Call
- 1-866-857-7095 LIHEAP HotlineIndividuals with hearing impairments may call 711Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Apply
- Where to apply compass.dhs.pa.govSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Open or closed
- Not open yet
The 2026-2027 LIHEAP Season is scheduled to open on November 2, 2026.
While you wait, the calculator above shows what else your household can likely get now.Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Your benefits card (EBT)
Pennsylvania Access Card (EBT)
- Call
- 1-888-EBT-PENN (1-888-328-7366) EBT Recipient Hotline: balances, where the card can be used, report lost/stolen, card does not work, PINHours: 24 hours a day, seven days a weekSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Card account
- The card's website connectebt.comSource: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Lost or stolen
- Call the EBT Recipient Hotline (1-888-328-7366, 24/7) to report a lost or stolen card. For stolen benefits, ask DHS' EBT contractor Conduent (888-328-7366) or the local county assistance office for a replacement card as soon as possible; replacement fees are waived when electronic theft is reported. Benefits stolen after December 20, 2024 cannot be reissued by DHS.Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Keep your PIN to yourself and change it often. The federal program that paid back SNAP stolen by card skimming covered thefts only up to December 20, 2024 (Georgia DFCS), so lock your card in its app when you can and report a lost card at once. How to protect your card
How to ask for a hearing in Pennsylvania
If you think a decision on your benefits is wrong, you can ask for a fair hearing: a meeting with someone outside the office that decided. Asking is free. Here is how Pennsylvania says to ask, program by program.
Federal rules set the outer limits: a SNAP household can ask about anything the office did in the past 90 days (7 CFR 273.15), and for Medicaid a state must allow a reasonable time of up to 90 days from the day the notice was mailed (42 CFR 431.221), so a state can set a shorter Medicaid limit. Whether your benefits keep coming while you wait depends on how soon you ask: your notice says by when. Only the agency and the hearing officer decide your case.
SNAP
- How to ask
- Oral appeal allowed for SNAP (otherwise in writing); file with the county assistance office / office that sent the notice; follow the notice's instructions
- Phone
- 717-783-3950 (BHA, Harrisburg)
- Who hears it
- Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA), PA DHS; appeals are filed with the program office (county assistance office) that sent the notice, which forwards them to BHA
Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Medicaid
- How to ask
- In writing (filed with the program office that sent the notice); follow the notice's instructions
- Phone
- 717-783-3950 (BHA, Harrisburg)
- Who hears it
- Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA), PA DHS; appeals are filed with the program office (county assistance office) that sent the notice, which forwards them to BHA
Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
TANF cash help
- How to ask
- In writing, filed with the county assistance office / office that sent the notice; follow the notice's instructions
- Phone
- 717-783-3950 (BHA, Harrisburg)
- Who hears it
- Bureau of Hearings and Appeals (BHA), PA DHS; appeals are filed with the program office (county assistance office) that sent the notice, which forwards them to BHA
Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
When benefits are paid in Pennsylvania
Each state sets the days its SNAP benefits arrive. This is Pennsylvania's rule as its own page states it; the exact day for your case is on your approval notice. SSI, Social Security and tax refund dates, and every state's SNAP rule, are on the payment dates page.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (SNAP)
SNAP benefits are issued onto EBT cards monthly, and the issuance schedule for SNAP benefits varies by county.
Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) in 2026
Pennsylvania took part in 2026, paying $120 for each child who qualified. The state calls it SUN Bucks (Pennsylvania's Summer EBT program).
SUN Bucks, Pennsylvania’s Summer EBT program, is a new grocery benefits program that provides households with a one-time payment of $120 for each eligible child
Source: pa.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Free help from a person in Pennsylvania
These are free. None of them can approve benefits, but they can help you apply, answer a letter or get ready for a hearing.
Any question
211
A free line run by more than 200 local groups across the country, such as United Ways.
Medicare questions
PA MEDI – Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight
Free, one-to-one help with Medicare from Pennsylvania's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- Call
- 1-800-783-7067Source: shiphelp.org, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- Its website pa.gov
A denial, a cut, an eviction
Free legal aid
Legal aid groups in Pennsylvania paid by the Legal Services Corporation, which Congress set up to fund civil legal help for people with low incomes.
- Groups
- Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania; MidPenn Legal Services, Inc.; Neighborhood Legal Services Association; North Penn Legal Services, Inc.; Northwestern Legal Services; Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center; Summit Legal AidSource: lsc.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Find yours
- LSC's finder (type a city or address there) lsc.gov
Immigration questions
Free or low-cost immigration legal help
Nonprofit groups the Justice Department has recognized to give immigration legal help, with their accredited representatives. A notary public ("notario") is not a lawyer in the United States and cannot represent you (USCIS).
- The list
- Recognized organizations by state justice.govPennsylvania is under the heading PENNSYLVANIA, on pages 127–131; the list says it was updated October 25, 2026.Source: justice.gov, checked November 1, 2026
Taxes and tax credits
Free tax help (VITA and TCE)
IRS-trained volunteers prepare tax returns free for people who qualify, which matters for the EITC and the Child Tax Credit.
- Call
- 800-906-9887 IRS: find the nearest VITA or TCE siteSource: irs.gov, checked November 1, 2026
- Online
- The IRS page with the site finder irs.gov