Moving a parent to New York from another state: benefits, insurance, and paperwork

What comes with them

Original Medicare works anywhere in the country; nothing to do there. Social Security, VA compensation and pension, and most private pensions continue; you update the address and bank details. A long-term care insurance policy follows the person. The parent's existing health care proxy, power of attorney, and will are documents from another state; many are honored here, but an attorney should look, and redoing the proxy on the free New York form is easy.

What changes: Medicare plans

Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans are local. Moving to an address outside the plan's service area gives a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan; Medicare's page lists the timing. Call 1-800-MEDICARE or a HIICAP counselor in the new county, 1-800-701-0501, before the move so there is no gap in drug coverage. A Medigap supplement generally continues, but premiums may change.

What must be reapplied for: Medicaid

Medicaid does not transfer between states. Each state runs its own program with its own rules, and a person cannot be covered in two states at once. Plan to close the old state's Medicaid when the move is final and apply in New York right away; New York can cover up to three months before the application month if the person would have qualified, which helps bridge the gap. Apply through the county Department of Social Services for someone 65 or older. If home care hours were in place in the old state, expect a new assessment here and a wait; start the day they arrive.

Residency counts for some programs

New York's EPIC drug program requires a permanent New York home. The State Veterans' Homes require entering service from New York or one year of New York residence before applying. County Office for the Aging programs serve county residents. None of these is a reason not to move; they are reasons to get the address changed everywhere promptly.

The practical list

• Before the move: request records from every doctor and the pharmacy; get a 90-day supply of medications; photograph every insurance card and document.
• Week one: change the address with Social Security, Medicare, the VA, pensions, and the bank; pick a new drug plan or Advantage plan if needed.
• Week one: apply for New York Medicaid if it will be needed, and call NY Connects, 1-800-342-9871, to learn what the county offers.
• Month one: find a primary care doctor who takes the parent's coverage; bring the medication list and records.
• Month one: see an elder law attorney about the documents and the house that may have been left behind.
• Any time: a New York non-driver ID from the DMV makes every other form easier.

If the parent is coming to live with you

Look at the house with fresh eyes: stairs, a bathroom on the first floor, a bedroom door that closes. Our home safety article has the list. Talk about money openly before they arrive: who pays for what, whether they contribute to household costs, and how the family will keep a record, especially if Medicaid may be needed later.