Transferring Medicaid from South Carolina to Pennsylvania
The short answer is no. Medicaid eligibility is decided by the state you live in, so leaving South Carolina closes that coverage. Your move to Pennsylvania means qualifying again under Pennsylvania income rules, through Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs). Apply immediately — there is no new-resident waiting period.
Eligibility usually gets easier in this direction: Pennsylvania has adopted Medicaid expansion (adults up to 138% of the federal poverty level), while South Carolina has not — many adults who were denied in South Carolina qualify in Pennsylvania.
Official Pennsylvania Medicaid agency: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) ↗ (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 South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services you are leaving
Contact the Healthy Connections Medicaid Member Contact Center at (888) 549-0820 to report changes to your case, including an out-of-state move.
South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ↗
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 Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) 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.
South Carolina vs Pennsylvania: the numbers that decide it
| South Carolina (old state) | Pennsylvania (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Healthy Connections | Medical Assistance (MA) |
| Agency | South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services | Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) |
| 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: South Carolina vs Pennsylvania
| Household size | South Carolina | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| 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: South Carolina · Pennsylvania · 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 South Carolina → Pennsylvania checklistCommon questions
Can I use my South Carolina Medicaid in Pennsylvania while I wait?
Generally no. South Carolina Medicaid only pays providers for South Carolina residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Pennsylvania, you need Pennsylvania coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.
Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Pennsylvania?
No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Pennsylvania'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 South Carolina case effective your move month.
Where do I actually apply in Pennsylvania?
Through Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (Office of Medical Assistance Programs) (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Pennsylvania to South Carolina Medicaid
- Medicaid in South Carolina: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Pennsylvania: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- South Carolina to New Jersey Medicaid
- South Carolina to Montana Medicaid
- South Carolina to North Dakota Medicaid
- South Carolina to Indiana Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: South Carolina to Pennsylvania
- WIC: South Carolina to Pennsylvania
- Unemployment: South Carolina to Pennsylvania
- TANF: South Carolina to Pennsylvania
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 .
- SCDHHS — Getting Started (how to apply) — accessed 2026-08-08
- SCDHHS — Program Eligibility and Income Limits — accessed 2026-08-08
- PA DHS — Medicaid (Medical Assistance) — accessed 2026-08-08
- COMPASS (online application) — accessed 2026-08-08