Transferring Medicaid from Pennsylvania to Minnesota
Your Medicaid stays behind in Pennsylvania. Coverage is run state by state, so the move means closing your Pennsylvania case and filing a fresh application with Minnesota Department of Human Services. You can apply the day you arrive in Minnesota; approval is not delayed by how recently you moved.
Both states cover adults under expansion rules at 138% of the federal poverty level, so if you qualified on income in Pennsylvania, you will likely qualify in Minnesota too.
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 Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) you are leaving
Renew coverage and manage your case through the COMPASS portal, or call the Consumer Service Center for Health Care Coverage at 1-866-550-4355; application status can be tracked at trackmybenefits.pa.gov.
Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) ↗
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.
Pennsylvania vs Minnesota: the numbers that decide it
| Pennsylvania (old state) | Minnesota (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Medical Assistance (MA) | Medical Assistance (MA) |
| Agency | Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) | Minnesota Department of Human Services |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults covered on income | Yes — adults covered on income |
| Adult income limit | 138% of the federal poverty level | 138% of the federal poverty level |
Monthly income limits by household size: Pennsylvania vs Minnesota
| Household size | Pennsylvania | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,836 | $1,836 |
| 2 people | $2,489 | $2,489 |
| 3 people | $3,142 | $3,142 |
| 4 people | $3,795 | $3,795 |
| 5 people | $4,449 | $4,449 |
| 6 people | $5,102 | $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: Pennsylvania · 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 Pennsylvania → Minnesota checklistCommon questions
Can I use my Pennsylvania Medicaid in Minnesota while I wait?
Generally no. Pennsylvania Medicaid only pays providers for Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Medicaid
- Medicaid in Pennsylvania: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Minnesota: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- Pennsylvania to Texas Medicaid
- Pennsylvania to Washington Medicaid
- Pennsylvania to Ohio Medicaid
- Pennsylvania to Rhode Island Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: Pennsylvania to Minnesota
- WIC: Pennsylvania to Minnesota
- Unemployment: Pennsylvania to Minnesota
- TANF: Pennsylvania 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 .
- PA DHS — Medicaid (Medical Assistance) — accessed 2026-08-08
- COMPASS (online application) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Minnesota DHS — Medical Assistance — accessed 2026-08-08
- Minnesota DHS — Income and asset limits — accessed 2026-08-08