Moving Counties within a State and Staying on Medicaid

In most cases, no, you won’t have to re-apply for Medicaid when you move from one county to another within the same state. You should be able to relocate to a new county and expect that your current state Medicaid benefits will continue.

When moving to a new county, you will need to get your Medicaid case transferred from its current (original) county to the new county. Depending on the state in which you reside and its procedure to transfer Medicaid cases, this entails contacting either the local Medicaid office in your original county or in the new county. Your Medicaid case information will need to be updated with your new mailing address and the process to transfer your case to the new county initiated. The best course of action is to contact your current Medicaid agency as soon as you know you will be moving to another county to inquire about the proper procedure. Generally, the process to transfer your case to the new county should not take more than 30 days. Regardless, your Medicaid benefits should continue and there should be no lapse in coverage.

If you are enrolled in a managed care Medicaid program, you might have to dis-enroll from your current plan and enroll in a new plan. To avoid any issues with accessing care during this transitional period, it is highly suggested that you contact your managed care plan to discuss the particulars. If you are enrolled in a HCBS (home and community based services) Medicaid Waiver, and it is not available statewide, it may not be possible for you to continue to receive benefits in your new county of residence. If this is the case, you may have to re-apply for a similar Medicaid program in the new county. Again, it is imperative that you discuss your particular situation with your current local Medicaid agency.