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Transferring Medicaid from West Virginia to Florida

Your Medicaid stays behind in West Virginia. Coverage is run state by state, so the move means closing your West Virginia case and filing a fresh application with Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration). You can apply the day you arrive in Florida; approval is not delayed by how recently you moved.

Warning: Florida has not adopted Medicaid expansion, so adults who qualified in West Virginia on income alone (up to 138% of the federal poverty level) may not qualify in Florida at all. Check Florida's categories before you move, and look at HealthCare.gov marketplace coverage as the fallback.

Official Florida Medicaid agency: Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) ↗ (application page)

Your step-by-step checklist

Before you move

  1. 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. 2

    Tell West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Medical Services you are leaving

    Call the DoHS hotline at 1-877-716-1212 to report a change in your situation (agency wording), or report changes through your WV PATH account.

    West Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Medical Services ↗

Moving week

  1. 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

  1. 4

    Apply with Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) 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.

    Online application ↗
  2. 5

    Ask about retroactive coverage

    Most states can cover eligible medical bills up to 3 months before your application date — ask when you apply if you had care during the gap.

West Virginia vs Florida: the numbers that decide it

 West Virginia (old state)Florida (new state)
Program nameWest Virginia MedicaidFlorida Medicaid
AgencyWest Virginia Department of Human Services, Bureau for Medical ServicesFlorida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration)
ACA Medicaid expansionYes — adults covered on incomeNo — adults need a category
Adult income limit138% of the federal poverty levelnot published as % FPL

Verified 2026-08-08 (West Virginia) and 2026-08-08 (Florida) against the official sources cited below.

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 West Virginia → Florida checklist

Common questions

Can I use my West Virginia Medicaid in Florida while I wait?

Generally no. West Virginia Medicaid only pays providers for West Virginia residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Florida, you need Florida coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.

Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Florida?

No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Florida's income and category rules from the day you become a resident. The application itself takes up to 45 days.

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 West Virginia case effective your move month.

Where do I actually apply in Florida?

Through Florida Department of Children and Families (eligibility) / Agency for Health Care Administration (program administration) (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.

Related guides

Official sources

Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified.

Written by Benefits Transfer Editorial Team

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor

Last verified