Transferring Medicaid from District of Columbia to Texas
Plan on a close-and-reapply. District of Columbia Medicaid only works while you live in District of Columbia; once you land in Texas, your application goes to Texas Health and Human Services Commission. File it immediately after arriving, because processing takes time and coverage ties to the application date.
Warning: Texas has not adopted Medicaid expansion, so adults who qualified in District of Columbia under its expansion rules may not qualify in Texas at all. Check Texas's categories before you move, and look at HealthCare.gov marketplace coverage as the fallback.
Official Texas Medicaid agency: Texas Health and Human Services Commission ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Gather your documents before the move
You will reapply from scratch: proof of identity, income (pay stubs or award letters), your new address, and immigration documents if applicable.
- 2
Tell DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) you are leaving
Report your move and ask for your case to be closed effective the end of the month you leave. Medicaid cannot cover you in two states at once.
DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) ↗
Moving week
- 3
Time the closure to the end of your move month
Keep coverage through the month you travel. Your old state's coverage generally ends the month you stop being a resident.
After you arrive
- 4
Apply with Texas Health and Human Services Commission as soon as you arrive
There is no waiting period based on how long you have lived there — apply immediately. Processing: up to 45 days (90 if a disability decision is needed).
Online application ↗ - 5
Ask about retroactive coverage
Most states can pay eligible medical bills from as early as the third month before the month you apply, so ask when you apply if you had care during the gap. For applications filed on or after January 1, 2027, federal law (Public Law 119-21) shortens this to the month before the month you apply for adults in the expansion group and the second month before the month you apply for everyone else.
District of Columbia vs Texas: the numbers that decide it
| District of Columbia (old state) | Texas (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | District of Columbia Medicaid | Texas Medicaid |
| Agency | DC Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF) | Texas Health and Human Services Commission |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults covered on income | No — adults need a category |
| Adult income limit | not published (at least 138% FPL under expansion) | no income-only route for adults |
Monthly income limits by household size: District of Columbia vs Texas
| Household size | District of Columbia | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | At least $1,836† | No income-only adult limit |
| 2 people | At least $2,489† | No income-only adult limit |
| 3 people | At least $3,142† | No income-only adult limit |
| 4 people | At least $3,795† | No income-only adult limit |
| 5 people | At least $4,449† | No income-only adult limit |
| 6 people | At least $5,102† | No income-only adult limit |
† The District of Columbia expanded Medicaid and covers adults on income, but its exact adult limit is not published as a single percentage; expansion covers adults up to at least 138% of the poverty level, so the figure shown is that floor. Limits for adults, computed from each state's published % of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines and rounded up to the dollar. Children, pregnancy, and 65+/disability rules differ; each state's own chart controls and may still show 2025 figures. Full tables: District of Columbia · Texas · 2026 poverty guidelines.
Moving with more than one benefit?
The checklist generator merges Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and TANF into one ordered to-do list for this exact move.
Build the full District of Columbia → Texas checklistCommon questions
Can I use my District of Columbia Medicaid in Texas while I wait?
Generally no. District of Columbia Medicaid only pays providers for District of Columbia residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Texas, you need Texas coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.
Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Texas?
No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Texas's income and category rules from the day you become a resident. The application itself takes up to 45 days (90 if a disability decision is needed).
Can I have Medicaid in two states at once?
No. You can only receive Medicaid from the state where you live. Keeping an old case open while opening a new one can create repayment problems — close the District of Columbia case effective your move month.
Where do I actually apply in Texas?
Through Texas Health and Human Services Commission (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Texas to District of Columbia Medicaid
- Medicaid in District of Columbia: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Texas: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- District of Columbia to Idaho Medicaid
- District of Columbia to Kansas Medicaid
- District of Columbia to Maryland Medicaid
- District of Columbia to Mississippi Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: District of Columbia to Texas
- WIC: District of Columbia to Texas
- Unemployment: District of Columbia to Texas
- TANF: District of Columbia to Texas
Terms on this page: Federal poverty level (FPL) · Medicaid expansion · Retroactive Medicaid coverage
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified .
- DHCF — Medicaid — accessed 2026-08-08
- Your Texas Benefits — apply online and report changes — accessed 2026-08-08
- Texas HHS — Medicaid and CHIP — accessed 2026-08-08