Meghann Mendez of Ocala, Florida, thought everything was in place for her 14-month-old son Shae’s potentially life-saving surgery scheduled for early January. But then last December, just weeks before his critical procedure, she learned that Shae’s Medicaid coverage through Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) had ended on November 30.
The reason? Shae had been receiving specialized treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since May 2025. According to Mendez, DCF informed her that her son had been out of Florida “too long.” As WFTV Action 9 reports, she was told she needed to apply for Medicaid in Pennsylvania, even though she and her husband remained Florida residents.
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“They’re just leaving me stuck, and I can’t be stuck because my son’s life is depending on it, (1)” Mendez told the news station.
A rule most parents don’t know exists
What happened to Shae wasn’t a rare clerical error, but highlights a rule that catches many families off guard: Medicaid eligibility is tied to state residency. Which means coverage doesn’t always automatically follow families when they cross state lines, even temporarily for medical care.
This differs fundamentally from private health insurance. When you move with private insurance through the health insurance market or an employer plan, you typically qualify for a special enrollment period to select a new plan (6). While you’ll still need a new policy in your new state, the process is more straightforward and coverage can often begin quickly…