Transferring Medicaid from Kansas to Texas
You cannot carry Kansas Medicaid into Texas. Each state runs its own program, so the sequence is: close the Kansas case at the end of your move month, then apply with Texas Medicaid immediately. New residents are judged on Texas's income and category rules, not on time lived in the state.
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 Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) you are leaving
Update your information at ApplyForKanCare.ks.gov or by calling the KanCare Clearinghouse at 1-800-792-4884.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) ↗
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.
Kansas vs Texas: the numbers that decide it
| Kansas (old state) | Texas (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | KanCare | Texas Medicaid |
| Agency | Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) | Texas Health and Human Services Commission |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | No — adults need a category | No — adults need a category |
| Adult income limit | no income-only route for adults | no income-only route for adults |
Monthly income limits by household size: Kansas vs Texas
| Household size | Kansas | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | No income-only adult limit | No income-only adult limit |
| 2 people | No income-only adult limit | No income-only adult limit |
| 3 people | No income-only adult limit | No income-only adult limit |
| 4 people | No income-only adult limit | No income-only adult limit |
| 5 people | No income-only adult limit | No income-only adult limit |
| 6 people | No income-only adult limit | 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: Kansas · 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 Kansas → Texas checklistCommon questions
Can I use my Kansas Medicaid in Texas while I wait?
Generally no. Kansas Medicaid only pays providers for Kansas 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 Kansas 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 Kansas Medicaid
- Medicaid in Kansas: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Texas: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- Kansas to Missouri Medicaid
- Kansas to New Hampshire Medicaid
- Kansas to North Carolina Medicaid
- Kansas to Oregon 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 .
- KDHE — KanCare Eligibility Guidelines — accessed 2026-08-08
- KanCare — Apply Now — 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