Moving out of Texas for medicaid reasons and I am choosing to move to either Minnesota or Vermont (fit in, 2014)

[buzzlightyear00]

Hello,

Let me tell you about my situation first so you know the context. I am currently living in Austin, TX and a recent college graduate. My mother is a permanent resident living and working (as an accountant) in the United States and have been doing so since 1985. Two years ago she lost her job and last year she had a stroke. Now she is disabled and she has only hold that status as a permanent resident for only 6 months. Texas Medicaid has denied her help. The reason is pretty much she hasn't been working (not living) as a permanent resident "long enough". She met the rest of the eligibility criteria but that one. Because she is disabled she is pretty much doomed and not able to get any government assistance in Texas. The nursing home is going to kick her out and place her in a boarding home that I will have to pay for out of pocket. Because I am not going to do this for five to ten years and I don't really want her in a boarding home. I can't take care of her for financial and time reasons so she needs a nursing home.

After many talks on the phone and dead ends, I decide to simply relocate her to another state with friendlier Medicaid eligibility requirements for immigrants. Now I'm not going to send her away, I'm going to later on join her and move to that state. I did research and came down to six states with "expanding medicaid" programs. Days later, I narrowed it down to two: Vermont and Minnesota. I looked at their medicaid requirements and even talked to the health care number for both of those states and she'll have a higher eligibility chance in those states than in Texas. I did research on the quality of the states overall in terms of quality of living and health care and those states happen to be high and together in those types of list.

I never been to those states. I looked at pictures (I know that doesn't count) and google street views (I know that doesn't count too). I, in general, never liked Texas and had plans to leave but this entire situation has brought nothing but headache, stress, and depression as I had to put down all of my future plans and financial goals (pay off my burdening student loans fast) on the side until this mess is done. I am not looking for advice on how to make her eligible in Texas, I made up my mind. I just want advice on which state is better for her (and me as I will be moving too)

Now I want to hear from folks that live in one of those states or folks that have lived in both states. Another note is I am a remote worker, so I am not moving for employment reasons as where I live is not tied to the location of my employer. So another reason I chose those states because rent prices are reasonable. I know they are both higher than Texas but in Austin, the price differences seem to become smaller and smaller each year.

I am overall considering how each state does in the categories I am looking for:
For her:

1. I know that both states have a "friendlier" medicaid eligibility but which states are more friendly for immigrants.
2. Quality nursing home care.

For me:

1. I am a nature lover so any state that has a broad range of outdoor activities such as hiking or quality parks and beautiful landscapes. Which states or cities in those states are good for the outdoor type.
2. I hate large cities (I have lived in Houston and Austin is growing too fast and becoming to crowded). I am fond of slow paced living and smallish town living. Which states or cities in those states have that kind of quality.
3. Although I am a loner, friendliness does count and I don't want to live in a place where everyone is full of crap.
4. Although it sounds silly but the driving. Texas driving is really bad, so I don't want another Texas here.
5. Last one:The weather and I am talking about summer weather. Is it generally 90F hot with 90% humidity in those places? I am aware of the brutal winters and never experienced temperatures below 17F but that is not my concern. High heat and humidity with high dew points is what gives me problems.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

I'm from MN and know very little about the healthcare issues your mother is facing, but based on your other criteria I'd lean towards VT, since it's not as hot or cold as MN can be and probably less humid in summer as well, and there are only small/medium towns from which to live in (the Twin Cities is personally my favorite place in MN, but you aren't looking for a bigger city). Both places sound like 2 of the best in terms of what you're looking for, however.

I have nothing but great things to say about MN and if you decide to lean that direction I can try and help you with any questions you have about living there. Good luck with everything!

[buzzlightyear00]

Originally Posted by Min-Chi-Cbus

I'm from MN and know very little about the healthcare issues your mother is facing, but based on your other criteria I'd lean towards VT, since it's not as hot or cold as MN can be and probably less humid in summer as well, and there are only small/medium towns from which to live in (the Twin Cities is personally my favorite place in MN, but you aren't looking for a bigger city). Both places sound like 2 of the best in terms of what you're looking for, however.

I have nothing but great things to say about MN and if you decide to lean that direction I can try and help you with any questions you have about living there. Good luck with everything!

Thank You. When I mean by big cities are the ones that have 1 to several million people in them (excluding the suburbs) and small cities that have a fast paced large city vibe to it when everyone is in a hurry and there's traffic everywhere. All of Dallas and Houston together can fit into Minnesota. Going from a state with over 20 million people to a state with only 5 million people or several hundred thousand in the case of vermont probably will be quite a change.

[ryanms3030]

Burlington, VT is a great city (about 42k people according to last census). I grew up in new england I love Vermont for outdoors but the job market is going to be very limited there so take that into consideration. MN does have a pretty strong job market from what I've read. Also make sure you understand residency requirements for your mother. My brother was on medicaid and moving from one state to another was a difficult process and he needed to get a lawyer to get his benefits in the new state. Will your mother receive benefits immediately in the new state or need to establish residency for a year first?

[buzzlightyear00]

Originally Posted by ryanms3030

Burlington, VT is a great city (about 42k people according to last census). I grew up in new england I love Vermont for outdoors but the job market is going to be very limited there so take that into consideration. MN does have a pretty strong job market from what I've read. Also make sure you understand residency requirements for your mother. My brother was on medicaid and moving from one state to another was a difficult process and he needed to get a lawyer to get his benefits in the new state. Will your mother receive benefits immediately in the new state or need to establish residency for a year first?

I'm a remote worker so the job market is not a concern as I'm not looking for work. I'm in a field where remote work is common. I know they told me that she'll have to be a resident. For nursing home care, there is no time requirement but she'll have to be in the chosen state before she can submit her application. Since the nursing home address will be her Minnesota/Vermont address, she'll be good for the residency requirement. She doesn't have medicaid right now so there's no "transferring" of anything so I don't know if the benefits will happen immediately. I guess I have to look into that. I am currently speaking to a county case worker that will help me plan the move as I don't know where to start. I am her only family member so I don't want to plan to move all on my own. This is something that will happen several months from now.

[ryanms3030]

Originally Posted by buzzlightyear00

I'm a remote worker so the job market is not a concern as I'm not looking for work. I'm in a field where remote work is common. I know they told me that she'll have to be a resident. For nursing home care, there is no time requirement but she'll have to be in the chosen state before she can submit her application. Since the nursing home address will be her Minnesota/Vermont address, she'll be good for the residency requirement. She doesn't have medicaid right now so there's no "transferring" of anything so I don't know if the benefits will happen immediately. I guess I have to look into that. I am currently speaking to a county case worker that will help me plan the move as I don't know where to start. I am her only family member so I don't want to plan to move all on my own. This is something that will happen several months from now.

Well then I can only speak for Vermont of the two options. I would certainly live in Vermont if I could work remotely. You'd obviously have to be prepared to deal with a long rough winter with lots of snow but that is going to be the same in VT or MN. If you love the outdoors and don't want hustle and bustle of a big city then VT is very nice. Burlington is a college town (like Austin) but on a much smaller scale. But Burlington has a pretty good yet small restaurant, bar, coffee shop scene catering to students but nowhere near as busy or crowded as Austin is

[nightlysparrow]

If she has been a legal permanent resident since 1985, why don't you help her apply for citizenship?
This would enable her to petition other relatives, and help protect her rights if the new Congress does eliminate the Medicaid expansion or severely cut its funding. Non-citizens may well have other benefits curtailed in the future.

[buzzlightyear00]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

If she has been a legal permanent resident since 1985, why don't you help her apply for citizenship?
This would enable her to petition other relatives, and help protect her rights if the new Congress does eliminate the Medicaid expansion or severely cut its funding. Non-citizens may well have other benefits curtailed in the future.

I meant she has been in the united states since 1985 but she applied for a green card on 2014 and was granted permanent status just six months ago. So for the past 30 years, she has been working from employment visas. Because she has been permanent resident for only six months, she can't get naturalization. (you have to be here for at least 5 years continuously before applying).

[Texamichiforniasota]

I don't know which would be better, but the political party who now controls DC have made their first order of business to repeal ACA, which had expanded Medicaid eligibility for families that needed help like yours (Although many conservative states like Texas chose not to). That's to say, whatever you do, you should probably do it very quickly. As federal aid for Medicaid is cut, states will all tighten eligibility requirements, likely in the next year.

[buzzlightyear00]

It's either that or move her to a state where medicaid has not been expanded?