Private Pay vs Medicaid Beds: Why Some Memphis Communities Don't Take TennCare
A Medicaid bed is an assisted living place paid partly by TennCare CHOICES; some Memphis communities offer none because TennCare caps 2026 payment at $3,883.37 a month, services plus room and board, against a 2025 Tennessee private-pay median near $5,595. See When the Money Runs Out: Medicaid Spend-Down in Tennessee.
Some Memphis assisted living communities don't take TennCare CHOICES because TennCare caps what they can collect: in 2026, at most $3,883.37 a month for a CHOICES member, services and room and board combined. Tennessee's 2025 private-pay median is about $5,595 a month, so many communities limit or decline CHOICES beds.
What this page recommends
Some Memphis assisted living communities don't take TennCare CHOICES because TennCare caps what they can collect: in 2026, at most $3,883.37 a month for a CHOICES member, services and room and board combined.
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What should I verify before acting?
Verify the local workflow, provider fit, pricing details, and timing directly through the canonical guide or a qualified professional before making a decision.
Related decision paths people also use
These are nearby ways people describe the same decision before they move into local comparison, pricing, or urgent next-step mode.
TennCare's 2026 limits for a CHOICES member in an assisted-care living facility: services up to $1,497.77 a month plus room and board up to $2,385.60 a month, a maximum total payment of $3,883.37 a month (TennCare memo, December 8, 2025). CareScout's 2025 Tennessee assisted living median is $67,140 a year. Reviewed 2026-10-13.
Read the full guide on Memphis Senior Care Homes
More Memphis-area city pages
Memphis Senior Care Homes lists licensed communities city by city across Shelby County, DeSoto County and Crittenden County.
Private pay vs a TennCare CHOICES bed in 2026
The gap between the two is why participation is limited.
| Line | Private pay | TennCare CHOICES member |
|---|---|---|
| Care services | Community's own care fee | TennCare pays up to $1,497.77 a month |
| Room and board | Community's own rate | Member pays, capped at $2,385.60 a month |
| Most the community can collect | No cap | $3,883.37 a month (unless the family chooses a private room) |
| Benchmark | Tennessee median about $5,595 a month (CareScout 2025) | Not applicable |
Private Pay vs Medicaid Beds: Why Some Memphis Communities Don't Take TennCare: Evidence-to-Action Framework
- Frame: State the exact decision behind “Private Pay vs Medicaid Beds: Why Some Memphis Communities Don't Take TennCare.”
- Verify: Ask every community whether it contracts with TennCare for CHOICES.
- Compare: Ask whether the community accepts private-pay residents who convert to CHOICES.
- Stress-test: Check for this page-specific warning: A vague "we work with Medicaid" with no detail
- Act: Shortlist communities on the canonical city page and request matches through the intake.
Ready to compare providers?
Use the source-backed framework above, then continue to the matching provider destination.
Find communities in Memphis, TN
See every licensed community the directory lists for Memphis, TN, with care types and how to reach each one.
Verify the rule before acting
- ACLF Rate Change and 2026 Maximum Room and Board Charges (memo, December 8, 2025) — CHOICES ACLF services rate ($1,497.77/month from July 1, 2025), 2026 room-and-board cap ($2,385.60/month) and maximum total facility payment ($3,883.37/month); reviewed 2026-10-13
- CHOICES in Long-Term Services and Supports — TennCare CHOICES program for long-term services and supports, including assisted-care living facility services; reviewed 2026-10-13
- CareScout Releases 2025 Cost of Care Data for Tennessee — 2025 Tennessee assisted living median ($67,140/year); reviewed 2026-10-13
Participation is voluntary, and the money is capped. For a CHOICES member in 2026, TennCare pays up to $1,497.77 a month for services and caps room and board at $2,385.60 a month, so the community can collect at most $3,883.37 a month. Tennessee's 2025 private-pay median is $67,140 a year, about $5,595 a month, so many Memphis communities limit CHOICES beds or do not contract at all.
Quick checklist
- Ask every community whether it contracts with TennCare for CHOICES.
- Ask how many CHOICES residents it accepts.
- Ask whether there is a waiting list for a CHOICES bed.
- Get the answer in writing.
Red flags
- A vague "we work with Medicaid" with no detail
- No written CHOICES policy
- A waiting list with no estimated date
It is a place a community holds open for residents whose care services are paid by TennCare CHOICES rather than privately. Some communities cap how many they hold. Others accept a resident who starts as private pay and converts to CHOICES after spending down, which is often the more realistic path for a family that can pay for a while first. The Assisted Living Residency Agreement: Fees, Deposits and Discharge Rules shows where the conversion terms sit.
Quick checklist
- Ask whether the community accepts private-pay residents who convert to CHOICES.
- Ask how long a resident must pay privately first.
- Find the conversion terms in the residency agreement.
- Ask what happens if no CHOICES place is open.
Red flags
- No written conversion policy
- A requirement to move out on converting to Medicaid
- Conversion terms only promised verbally
Ask TennCare and your parent's health plan which assisted-care living facilities participate, then call each one about current openings. Ask the same questions of every community: whether it contracts for CHOICES, how many CHOICES residents it accepts, whether there is a waiting list, and what the room-and-board charge will be. When the Money Runs Out: Medicaid Spend-Down in Tennessee explains enrollment.
Quick checklist
- Get the participating list from TennCare or the health plan.
- Call each community about openings.
- Ask the room-and-board charge.
- Ask about waiting lists.
Red flags
- Relying on an old list
- Room and board above the 2026 cap
- A community that will not confirm participation
Often, if your parent can afford it for a while. Private pay opens every community and apartment now. If you expect to need CHOICES later, choose a community that accepts conversion, get that in writing, and plan the spend-down with someone who knows TennCare's rules so the transition does not force a move. How Families Pay for Assisted Living lays out the options.
Quick checklist
- Estimate how long private funds last.
- Pick a community that accepts conversion.
- Get the conversion policy in writing.
- Check TennCare's asset rules before selling property.
Red flags
- A community that discharges on conversion
- No spend-down plan
- Transfers of assets without advice
Participation is a community-by-community decision, not a city rule, so ask each community in Lakeland, Arlington, East Memphis or Memphis the same CHOICES questions. Newer, higher-priced communities are more likely to be private pay only, but the only reliable answer is the community's written policy.
Quick checklist
- Ask the same CHOICES questions in every city.
- Get each policy in writing.
- Compare total monthly price for private pay.
- Note which communities accept conversion.
Red flags
- Assuming a city-wide rule
- Verbal answers only
- Comparing base rates without care fees
Need help applying this guide?
Questions families search in the Memphis area
How does private pay work for assisted living in the Memphis area?
Private pay covers rent and care at any the Memphis area community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Read the full guide (linked above)
Also searched: private pay assisted living 38103; private pay assisted living 38119; private pay assisted living 38120; private pay assisted living facility; private pay assisted living near me
How does private pay work for assisted living in Arlington?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Arlington community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Arlington (linked above)
Also searched: private pay assisted living arlington; private pay assisted living arlington tn; private pay assisted living in arlington tn; private pay care home arlington
How does private pay work for assisted living in Cordova?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Cordova community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Cordova
Also searched: private pay assisted living cordova; private pay assisted living in cordova; private pay care home cordova
How does private pay work for assisted living in Collierville?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Collierville community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Collierville
Also searched: private pay assisted living collierville; private pay assisted living in collierville; private pay care home collierville
How does private pay work for assisted living in Millington?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Millington community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Millington
Also searched: private pay assisted living in millington; private pay assisted living millington; private pay care home millington
How does private pay work for assisted living in Memphis?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Memphis community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Memphis (linked above)
Also searched: private pay assisted living in memphis; private pay assisted living in memphis tn; private pay assisted living in midtown memphis; private pay assisted living memphis; private pay assisted living memphis tn
How does private pay work for assisted living in East Memphis?
Private pay covers rent and care at any East Memphis community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in East Memphis (linked above)
Also searched: private pay assisted living east memphis; private pay assisted living in east memphis; private pay care home east memphis
How does private pay work for assisted living in Bartlett?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Bartlett community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Bartlett
Also searched: private pay assisted living bartlett; private pay assisted living in bartlett; private pay care home bartlett
How does private pay work for assisted living in Germantown?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Germantown community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Germantown
Also searched: private pay assisted living germantown; private pay assisted living germantown tn; private pay assisted living in germantown; private pay assisted living in germantown tn; private pay care home germantown
How does private pay work for assisted living in Hernando?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Hernando community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Hernando
Also searched: private pay assisted living hernando; private pay assisted living hernando ms; private pay assisted living in hernando; private pay assisted living in hernando ms; private pay care home hernando
How does private pay work for assisted living in Horn Lake?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Horn Lake community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Horn Lake
Also searched: private pay assisted living horn lake; private pay assisted living in horn lake; private pay care home horn lake
How does private pay work for assisted living in Olive Branch?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Olive Branch community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Olive Branch
Also searched: private pay assisted living in olive branch; private pay assisted living in olive branch ms; private pay assisted living olive branch; private pay assisted living olive branch ms; private pay care home olive branch
How does private pay work for assisted living in Southaven?
Private pay covers rent and care at any Southaven community and can start right away; ask for the base rate, the care-level fee and the rate-increase notice in writing. Assisted living and memory care in Southaven
See which Memphis-area communities fit your parent
See which Memphis-area communities fit your parent — free, takes 90 seconds.
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