Transferring Medicaid from Mississippi to Minnesota
No — Medicaid does not move with you. Your Mississippi coverage ends when you stop being a Mississippi resident, and you apply again with Medical Assistance (MA) after you arrive. There is no residency waiting period, and coverage can reach back to your application date.
Eligibility usually gets easier in this direction: Minnesota has adopted Medicaid expansion (adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level), while Mississippi has not — many adults who were denied in Mississippi qualify in Minnesota.
Official Minnesota Medicaid agency: Minnesota Department of Human Services ↗ (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 Mississippi Division of Medicaid you are leaving
Report changes to your case through Access.ms.gov (Mississippi's Common Web Portal) or by calling the Division of Medicaid at 800-421-2408.
Mississippi Division of Medicaid ↗
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 Minnesota Department of Human Services 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). From January 1, 2027 (earlier in some states), most adults in the expansion group must also show 80 hours a month of work, school, job training, or community service, or an exemption, possibly for 1 to 3 months preceding the application.
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.
Mississippi vs Minnesota: the numbers that decide it
| Mississippi (old state) | Minnesota (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Mississippi Medicaid | Medical Assistance (MA) |
| Agency | Mississippi Division of Medicaid | Minnesota Department of Human Services |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | No — adults need a category | Yes — adults covered on income |
| Adult income limit | no income-only route for adults | 138% of the federal poverty level |
Monthly income limits by household size: Mississippi vs Minnesota
| Household size | Mississippi | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | No income-only adult limit | $1,836 |
| 2 people | No income-only adult limit | $2,489 |
| 3 people | No income-only adult limit | $3,142 |
| 4 people | No income-only adult limit | $3,795 |
| 5 people | No income-only adult limit | $4,449 |
| 6 people | No income-only adult limit | $5,102 |
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: Mississippi · Minnesota · 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 Mississippi → Minnesota checklistCommon questions
Can I use my Mississippi Medicaid in Minnesota while I wait?
Generally no. Mississippi Medicaid only pays providers for Mississippi residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Minnesota, you need Minnesota coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.
Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Minnesota?
No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Minnesota'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 Mississippi case effective your move month.
Where do I actually apply in Minnesota?
Through Minnesota Department of Human Services (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Minnesota to Mississippi Medicaid
- Medicaid in Mississippi: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Minnesota: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- Mississippi to Kentucky Medicaid
- Mississippi to Illinois Medicaid
- Mississippi to Missouri Medicaid
- Mississippi to Massachusetts Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: Mississippi to Minnesota
- WIC: Mississippi to Minnesota
- Unemployment: Mississippi to Minnesota
- TANF: Mississippi to Minnesota
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 .
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid — Who Qualifies for Coverage — accessed 2026-08-08
- Mississippi Division of Medicaid — How to Apply — accessed 2026-08-08
- Minnesota DHS — Medical Assistance — accessed 2026-08-08
- Minnesota DHS — Income and asset limits — accessed 2026-08-08