Transferring Medicaid from Hawaii to Florida
Plan on a close-and-reapply. Hawaii Medicaid only works while you live in Hawaii; once you land in Florida, your application goes to Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration). File it immediately after arriving, because processing takes time and coverage ties to the application date.
Warning: Florida has not adopted Medicaid expansion, so adults who qualified in Hawaii under its expansion rules (up to 138% of the federal poverty level) may not qualify in Florida at all. Check Florida's categories before you move, and look at HealthCare.gov marketplace coverage as the fallback.
Official Florida Medicaid agency: Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) ↗ (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 Hawaii Department of Human Services, Med-QUEST Division 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.
Hawaii Department of Human Services, Med-QUEST Division ↗
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 Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) 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.
Hawaii vs Florida: the numbers that decide it
| Hawaii (old state) | Florida (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Med-QUEST | Florida Medicaid |
| Agency | Hawaii Department of Human Services, Med-QUEST Division | Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults covered on income | No — adults need a category |
| Adult income limit | 138% of the federal poverty level | no income-only route for adults |
Monthly income limits by household size: Hawaii vs Florida
| Household size | Hawaii | Florida |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $2,112 | No income-only adult limit |
| 2 people | $2,863 | No income-only adult limit |
| 3 people | $3,614 | No income-only adult limit |
| 4 people | $4,365 | No income-only adult limit |
| 5 people | $5,116 | No income-only adult limit |
| 6 people | $5,867 | No income-only adult limit |
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: Hawaii · Florida · 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 Hawaii → Florida checklistCommon questions
Can I use my Hawaii Medicaid in Florida while I wait?
Generally no. Hawaii Medicaid only pays providers for Hawaii residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Florida, you need Florida coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.
Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Florida?
No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Florida'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 Hawaii case effective your move month.
Where do I actually apply in Florida?
Through Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Florida to Hawaii Medicaid
- Medicaid in Hawaii: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Florida: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- Hawaii to Iowa Medicaid
- Hawaii to Arkansas Medicaid
- Hawaii to Delaware Medicaid
- Hawaii to Nebraska Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
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 .
- Med-QUEST Division (official domain; unreachable at verification — see notes) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Florida DCF — Medicaid — accessed 2026-08-08
- MyACCESS (online application) — accessed 2026-08-08