Nursing homes and assisted living in Missouri

According to CareScout, Missouri has some of the lowest nursing home costs in the country. Even so, it's a good idea to understand the license types and the help available before you choose.

What care settings are called here

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) licenses four levels of care:

• Residential Care Facility (RCF): a home with a room, meals and 24-hour supervision for three or more people who can leave the building on their own in an emergency.
• Assisted Living Facility (ALF): assisted living with help eating, bathing or walking, in a homelike setting. Some can accept people who need more help to evacuate, if they meet extra staffing requirements.
• Intermediate Care Facility (ICF): personal care and basic nursing care under daily nursing supervision.
• Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF): a nursing home with skilled nursing care 24 hours a day.

The DHSS also publishes a directory of adult day care centers.

How Medicaid helps in Missouri

In Missouri, Medicaid is called MO HealthNet, and it's run by the Department of Social Services (DSS). It pays for nursing home care for people who meet the medical and financial requirements. You can apply at mydss.mo.gov, at a Family Support Division office or by calling (855) 373-9994.

For help at home, there are Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), coordinated by the DHSS. They are for adults with Medicaid who need a level of care similar to a nursing home. They include options like the Aged and Disabled Waiver, a Medicaid waiver that pays for services such as help at home, respite care for the caregiver, adult day centers and home-delivered meals. To request an assessment, call 1-866-835-3505.

For people who live in an RCF or ALF and have low incomes, the Supplemental Nursing Care program provides a monthly cash payment that helps pay for the residence. It's for people 65 and older, or adults who have a disability or are blind.

How much care costs in Missouri

According to the CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2025 (tables published March 2, 2026), the median costs in Missouri are:

• Assisted living (private room, one bedroom): $5,400 a month.
• Nursing home, semi-private room: $222 a day (about $6,741 a month).
• Nursing home, private room: $250 a day (about $7,604 a month).
• In-home caregiver (non-medical): $33 an hour.
• Adult day center: $95 a day.

These are medians. Each place sets its rates based on the room and the services.

Who to call

• Long-Term Care Ombudsman: 800-309-3282. The ombudsman is a free advocate for residents of care homes.
• DHSS HCBS: 1-866-835-3505, to request services at home.
• MO HealthNet: (855) 373-9994 to apply; 855-373-4636 for questions about an application.
• Eldercare Locator (national): 1-800-677-1116, to find your Area Agency on Aging.

Tips for your family

• Use the Show Me Long Term Care search tool: you can search by county, city or ZIP code and see the inspection dates for each place.
• For certified nursing homes, also check Medicare's Care Compare. Inspections are a standard tool for getting to know a place and bringing questions to your visit.
• Ask what license level the place has (RCF or ALF). That tells you how much help it can offer now and later on.
• If income is low, ask the Family Support Division about Supplemental Nursing Care.
• Don't hesitate to ask for an interpreter when you call any agency, so you fully understand each step.

This page is for information only and does not replace medical or legal advice. Confirm the requirements with the agency in charge. Below, you'll find the hogaresparamayores.com directory for Missouri.