Life is a mystery filled with the unknown, you may have lived in a certain state for almost the entirety of your life and now decided to move to a new state. Regardless of the reasoning behind your residence movement, whether it be required by your job, to be closer to your family members, or just to try out a new location, you should consider the necessary steps of transferring your healthcare plans to your new residence. Depending on which medical insurance plan you have, there are different actions that can be taken to ensure that you have access and coverage to insurance when you relocate.Your ability to take your insurance with you depends on the type of insurance you have, whether it is Medicaid, Medicare, or Medicare Advantage. An esteemed attorney can assist you in discovering if you can bring your insurance with you by providing guidance on the best plan of action to take in relation to your specific situation.

In the case of Medicaid it is important to note that Medicaid has its own eligibility qualifications in each state. That being said, just because you are eligible for Medicaid in NY does not automatically guarantee that you will remain eligible for Medicaid in another state, such as Florida or Texas. Unfortunately, you will not be able to keep your Medicaid plan upon relocating to a new state. This is not devastational and does not bar you from having Medicaid coverage. It simply means that you will have to apply for Medicaid in whichever state you move to. An attorney can assist you in the process of reapplying for Medicaid by first calling the Medicaid office located in the state you are planning on moving to and then filling out all of the appropriate forms and applications. Prior to applying for benefits in the new state, you must first cancel the benefits you are receiving from the previous state you lived in. You are encouraged to complete your Medicaid applications for the new state as soon as possible in order to avoid paying for health insurance out of pocket. Even in the case that you have to pay out of pocket for a short period of time, Medicaid will reimburse you as long as you have a detailed and accurate record or receipts of all health care service costs.

If you have the original Medicare provider, then you have much less to worry about when it comes to relocating to a different state. Plans A and B ensure that you will remain covered regardless of which state you move to. This is due to the fact that Medicare is a federal program that is run by the government. As long as your medical provider accepts your Medicare insurance plan, you are all set for healthcare coverage. The only drastic difference that may impact your coverage would be the cost of your premiums, as they may increase or decrease depending on the state you move from and the new state you are moving to. Additionally, your Medigap plan is expected to cover your healthcare costs even if you move across the country. The only exception to the Medigap coverage would be if you moved to the specific states of Massechusttes, Minnesota, or Wisconsin because these states have their own individual Medigap plans. If you have any questions or concerns regarding transferring your original Medicare Plan A or B to a new state, you should contact an attorney to answer any of your inquiries.

Medicare Advantage and Part D of Medicare are a different story than the original Medicare plan. This is because these plans have a specified service area, which means that there is no guarantee that it will provide coverage for more than one state. You may contact an attorney to help you determine if your new state falls within the specified service location of the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. Moving into a new specified area may be complex due to the fact that you have a limited enrollment period during which you may change plans outside of the typical annual enrollment period. The annual enrollment date is between October 25th and December 7th. You should make your current plan aware of your intention to move to a new state. This will allow your special enrollment period to begin the month prior to your move and continue for a two month period after you move. However, if you make your plan aware of your relocation after you move, then your opportunity to switch plans begins the month that the plan becomes aware of your relocation. Afterwards, you will have two full months as part of the special enrollment period. 

For further healthcare eligibility information please contact the Law Office of Inna Fershteyn at 718-333-2395 to effectively maintain coverage even when you move to a new state.