Updated August 26, 2026. Quick answer: Effective July 1, 2026, Utah’s average private-pay rate for nursing homes, used to determine the penalty period, is $7,344.
The figure Utah publishes
| What the state lists | Figure |
|---|---|
| Average private-pay rate for nursing homes | $7,344 |
| Effective date | July 1, 2026 |
How the penalty period is calculated
- Utah lists the figure under Transfer of Asset Information on its long-term care table, labelled as the rate used to determine the penalty period.
Once you have the figure above, the Medicaid penalty period calculator does the arithmetic. This page is the Utah rate record; the calculator is the class parent.
What this page does not settle
- The same table carries the spousal asset shares and home equity limit, which change on a different schedule.
Eligibility is decided by the state agency on the whole file, not by this one number. Nothing here is legal advice, and no one should transfer, retitle or give away property on the strength of a worksheet.
Source
Utah DHHS Eligibility Policy Manual, Table II-A, Long Term Care Institutional and Waiver Income Limits and Other Important Figures — retrieved and checked against the state text on August 26, 2026.
A transfer penalty is a separate test from the income standard that decides eligibility in the first place. For what Utah uses as that standard, and the state document it comes from, see Medicaid nursing home income limit in Utah (No Stated Cap).
Related: Utah’s Medicaid home equity limit for a single applicant with no spouse or dependent child at home.
Related: Utah’s Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance; the amount a nursing-facility resident keeps from their own income each month.