Retroactive Medicaid coverage
Retroactive coverage lets Medicaid pay eligible medical bills incurred up to three months before the application month, if the person would have qualified at the time. For movers, it is the safety net that can cover care received during the gap between leaving one state and being approved in the next.
Ask about retroactive coverage explicitly when applying — it is not always automatic, and several states have waivers narrowing it. Keep bills and dates from the gap period.
Federal source: Medicaid.gov — Eligibility policy ↗
Related terms: Medicaid expansion