Transferring Medicaid from New Mexico to Texas
No — Medicaid does not move with you. Your New Mexico coverage ends when you stop being a New Mexico resident, and you apply again with Texas Medicaid after you arrive. There is no residency waiting period, and coverage can reach back to your application date.
Warning: Texas has not adopted Medicaid expansion, so adults who qualified in New Mexico under its expansion rules (up to 138% of the federal poverty level) 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 New Mexico Health Care Authority 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.
New Mexico Health Care Authority ↗
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.
New Mexico vs Texas: the numbers that decide it
| New Mexico (old state) | Texas (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Turquoise Care | Texas Medicaid |
| Agency | New Mexico Health Care Authority | Texas Health and Human Services Commission |
| 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: New Mexico vs Texas
| Household size | New Mexico | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,836 | No income-only adult limit |
| 2 people | $2,489 | No income-only adult limit |
| 3 people | $3,142 | No income-only adult limit |
| 4 people | $3,795 | No income-only adult limit |
| 5 people | $4,449 | No income-only adult limit |
| 6 people | $5,102 | 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: New Mexico · 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 New Mexico → Texas checklistCommon questions
Can I use my New Mexico Medicaid in Texas while I wait?
Generally no. New Mexico Medicaid only pays providers for New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico Medicaid
- Medicaid in New Mexico: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Texas: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- New Mexico to Louisiana Medicaid
- New Mexico to Indiana Medicaid
- New Mexico to Georgia Medicaid
- New Mexico to Connecticut Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: New Mexico to Texas
- WIC: New Mexico to Texas
- Unemployment: New Mexico to Texas
- TANF: New Mexico 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 .
- NM Health Care Authority — Turquoise Care overview — accessed 2026-08-08
- YesNM benefits portal — 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