My son has Medicaid in our state. Does anyone know about getting Medicaid as a college student in a different state?
If that state has medicaid expansion, and if he moves there and becomes a resident, he can apply. He does not have coverage, except for emergencies, on his current policy in another state.
I don’t think you have to establish residency for Medicaid, the way you would for a school, for instance.
I strongly recommend that your child visit a financial counselor at a local hospital, clinic, community center or one of the insurance offices that handles Medicaid application for people. In my state, MA, it would be in a hospital financial counseling office. These folks are very helpful and have a direct line to the state office.
Also, it is possible to have Medicaid has secondary insurance to cover what a college policy does not cover. One of my kids has type 1 diabetes and did that because her medical expenses far exceed those of most young people.
The coverage goes with him/her to college. But the plan may not meet the college’s requirements for coverage, because as stated:
Depending what college, they may cover the college health insurance plan cost, or they may not. I’d ask ASAP.
Right now it’s down to Emmanuel College in Boston or Manhattan College. Since we are in CT, he would only have emergency care on the plan he is currently on. Neither school covers it, but I see costs are between $2100-$2800, which is a substantial additional cost for us. I’m quite sure he would be eligible elsewhere, but one complication is that I thought you need to be a resident of the state to apply. However, the college wants coverage as of August 1. I will talk to someone at the DSS, perhaps.
Here’s what Healthcare.Gov has to say about it: https://www.healthcare.gov/young-adults/college-students/
It looks like your son would apply for Medicaid in New York or Massachusetts. Since both have the Medicaid expansion, he would be eligible as a new resident. Since he would be establishing residency (I think) I would suggest registering to vote in the new state rather than retaining/establishing a registration in CT.