Can I Move to Another State and Qualify for Medicaid There?
Life changes for everyone; even people who are residents in assisted living facilities. A change in your family might mean that you want to move to a different state to be closer to loved ones. The problem is that you are not sure if you can just transfer your Medicaid benefits from your current state to a new one. By understanding how Medicaid is structured and administered, you can find out if you can move to a new state and keep your Medicaid benefits.
How Medicaid Works
Medicaid is a public health insurance program that is funded primarily by the federal government, but administered individually by each state. The rules and guidelines for application and qualification differ from state to state.
Would My Florida Medicaid Account Transfer to Another State?
If you decided to move from Florida to an assisted living facility in another state, your Florida Medicaid account would not transfer to your new state. Not only that, but the fact that you qualified for Medicaid in Florida does not automatically mean that you would qualify in your new state. Remember that each state has its own asset and income requirements and you might have too many assets or too much income to qualify in a new state.
What Would the Process Be?
While Medicaid is administered through each state, there is a federal law that says that you cannot have two Medicaid accounts operating at the same time. If you wanted to move to a new state, you would need to close your Florida Medicaid account, apply for Medicaid in your new state, and then wait for approval.
What Happens During the Transition?
In most states, the approval time for Medicaid can range from 15 to 90 days. Once you cancel your Medicaid account in Florida, you would be responsible for paying any assisted living charges you incur while waiting for the transfer. The hope is that your new account is approved quickly so you can make the move with as little financial impact to you and your family as possible.
How Should I do This?
If you do want to move to a new state and change Medicaid accounts, then you need to hire an attorney to make the process go as smooth as possible. An attorney will know all of the rules regarding your transition, and an attorney will help you to avoid too much of a time period where you have no Medicaid coverage at all.
The Mattar Firm is an experienced at Medicaid planning and we can help you to make your transition to another state. Give our qualified Medicaid planning attorneys a call and let us start planning your move to get you closer to your family.