Your Benefits Explained
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services offers a variety of benefits to residents of Pennsylvania who need help. To apply for these benefits, you can fill out an online form at COMPASS or visit a county assistance office near you.
Federal Poverty Income Guidelines
Federal Poverty Income Guidelines (FPIG) are figures issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and are used to establish eligibility for a variety, but not all, public assistance programs. These figures are revised annually based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. 2023 FPIG percentages used for various programs are as follows:
| 1 | $401 | $4,812 | $1,215 | $14,580 | $1,458 | $17,496 | $1,616 | $19,392 | $1,641 | $19,683 |
| 2 | $543 | $6,508 | $1,644 | $19,720 | $1,972 | $23,664 | $2,186 | $26,228 | $2,219 | $26,622 |
| 3 | $684 | $8,204 | $2,072 | $24,860 | $2,486 | $29,832 | $2,756 | $33,064 | $2,797 | $33,561 |
| 4 | $825 | $9,900 | $2,500 | $30,000 | $3,000 | $36,000 | $3,325 | $39,900 | $3,375 | $40,500 |
| 5 | $967 | $11,597 | $2,929 | $35,140 | $3,514 | $42,168 | $3,895 | $46,737 | $3,954 | $47,439 |
| 6 | $1,108 | $13,293 | $3,357 | $40,280 | $4,028 | $48,336 | $4,465 | $53,573 | $4,532 | $54,378 |
| 7 | $1,250 | $14,989 | $3,785 | $45,420 | $4,542 | $54,504 | $5,035 | $60,409 | $5,110 | $61,317 |
| 8 | $1,391 | $16,685 | $4,214 | $50,560 | $5,056 | $60,672 | $5,604 | $67,245 | $5,688 | $68,256 |
Each Additional
Person | $+142 | $+1,697 | $+429 | $+5,140 | $+514 | $+6,168 | $+570 | $+6,837 | $+579 | $+6,939
|
| 1 | $1,908 | $22,891 | $2,430 | $29,160 | $2,613 | $31,347 |
| 2 | $2,581 | $30,961 | $3,287 | $39,440 | $3,534 | $42,398 |
| 3 | $3,253 | $39,031 | $4,144 | $49,720 | $4,455 | $53,449 |
| 4 | $3,925 | $47,100 | $5,000 | $60,000 | $5,375 | $64,500 |
| 5 | $4,598 | $55,170 | $5,857 | $70,280 | $6,296 | $75,551 |
| 6 | $5,270 | $63,240 | $6,714 | $80,560 | $7,217 | $86,602 |
| 7 | $5,943 | $71,310 | $7,570 | $90,840 | $8,138 | $97,653 |
| 8 | $6,615 | $79,380 | $8,427 | $101,120 | $9,059 | $108,704 |
Each Additional
Person | $+673 | $+8,070 | $+857 | $+10,280 | $+921 | $+11,051
|
| 1 | $2,856 | $34,263 | $3,038 | $36,450 |
| 2 | $3,862 | $46,342 | $4,109 | $49,300 |
| 3 | $4,869 | $58,421 | $5,180 | $62,150 |
| 4 | $5,875 | $70,500 | $6,250 | $75,000 |
| 5 | $6,882 | $82,579 | $7,321 | $87,850 |
| 6 | $7,889 | $94,658 | $8,392 | $100,700 |
| 7 | $8,895 | $106,737 | $9,463 | $113,550 |
| 8 | $9,902 | $118,816 | $10,534 | $126,400 |
| Each Additional Person | $+1,007 | $+12,079 | $+1,071 | $+12,850
|
Based on your income and other eligibility requirements, you may be entitled to:
Cash Assistance and Employment Training
You can receive money and/or employment training if you do not earn enough money to support yourself and your family or if you are not able to work because of a disability. You can also apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP; formerly known as food stamps), Medical Assistance (Medicaid) and other benefits at the same time that you apply for Cash Assistance.
You can still collect child support if you receive Cash Assistance. As a condition of eligibility, your child support payments must be assigned to the Department of Human Services. However, you can receive up to $100 in support pass through each month for one child if the support is paid timely. If there is more than one child in the family you can receive up to $200 per month in support pass through. More information on child support.
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Questions about Cash Assistance and employment training?
Call toll-free Helpline at 1-800-692-7462 (1-800-451-5886 TDD) or your local county assistance office.
Health Care Coverage
If you do not make enough money to pay medical bills, are pregnant, meet other requirements and/or have high medical expenses, you may be eligible to receive Medical Assistance (Medicaid) to help pay for health care services.
Medical Assistance fee-for-service and the HealthChoices Managed Care Program are in place in many communities throughout the commonwealth. Your primary care physician or the managed care plan's member services department can tell you what will be covered. At a minimum, all services covered by the ACCESS (fee-for-service) program are covered under managed care. Additional services may be covered by some Managed Care Plans.
Recipients with concerns related to requests for prior authorization/program exception may call 1-800-537-8862. For other concerns, it is recommended that the medical provider contact the Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) at the provider points of contact. Staff at the HelpLine, telephone 1-800-692-7462 (1-800-451-5886 TTD number for individuals with hearing impairment), can provide general information about the various categories of Medical Assistance coverage. Recipients who have medically-related problems and are experiencing difficulty in dealing with or obtaining care through their Managed Care Plan may call the Clinical Sentinel Hotline (CSH) at 1-800-537-8862. For non-medically related issues, the recipient should contact their Managed Care Plan directly.
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Questions about health care coverage? Call the toll-free Helpline at 1-800-842-2020 (1-800-451-5886 TDD) or your local county assistance office.
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Do you have complaints about poor quality medical service or intentional program violations by a provider?
You can submit the complaint in writing to: Office of Medical Assistance Programs, Bureau of Program Integrity,
P.O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
If you do not have enough money to buy food for yourself and your family, you can receive a Pennsylvania EBT ACCESS card. This card works like a bank debit card and allows you to make food purchases at grocery stores and supermarkets.
EBT cards can be used for SNAP/food stamp purchases in states where the retailers are participating in Quest. To find out which are Quest states you may call the HelpLine at 1-800-692-7462 (1-800-451-5886 number TTD for individuals with hearing impairments). ATM's with a STAR logo and/or a QUEST logo will also accept the EBT card.
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Questions about SNAP? Call the toll-free Helpline at 1-800-842-2020 (1-800-451-5886 TDD) or your local county assistance office.
Home Heating Assistance
The Pennsylvania Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) can help you pay your home heating bills or if you are in an emergency situation and are in jeopardy of losing your heat. More information about LIHEAP.
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Questions about LIHEAP? Call the toll-free Helpline at 1-800-857-7095 (1-800-451-5886 TDD) or your local county assistance office.
Child Care
If you are working or in an education program, you may be eligible to receive financial assistance to help with child care while you are at work or school. More information about subsidized child care.
Other Benefits
You may also be eligible to receive assistance with other services such as employment training and assistance, long-term care, free or reduced-price school meals for your child, help with prescription medications, care, and support for people with disabilities or care and education for children with special needs. If you have questions about any benefits programs, you can call your county assistance office or make a free phone call to the DHS HelpLine at 1-800-692-7462(1-800-451-5886 TDD number for individuals with hearing impairments).