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North Carolina Medicaid

NC Medicaid

Expansion adopted (2023) 12-month postpartum Doula pending

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Apply on the North Carolina portal

NC Medicaid covers pregnant women up to 201% of the federal poverty line, roughly $51,900 annual income for a family of three in 2025. The state adopted Medicaid expansion in 2023.

On maternal health specifically: NC Medicaid has extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01), and has a doula Medicaid benefit pending CMS approval.

North Carolina became the 40th expansion state on December 1, 2023 under HB 76 (2023), signed by Governor Cooper after a decade of gridlock. In its first year, expansion enrolled more than 545,000 North Carolinians, roughly a third of whom are Black residents.

Ways to apply for NC Medicaid

These are the channels North Carolina names on its own Medicaid pages. Use whichever is easiest.

Online
Apply online

epass.nc.gov

In person
Local county Department of Social Services; walk-ins available. Find an office
By mail
Get the paper application
HealthCare.gov
You can also apply at HealthCare.gov any time of year. If anyone in your household looks eligible for Medicaid, it sends your information to North Carolina's agency.
Decision time
North Carolina says: Up to 45 days; disability applications up to 90 days.

Read on the state's own pages, October 13, 2026.

Key facts at a glance

  • Pregnant women eligible up to 201% FPL ($51,900 for a family of three in 2025).
  • Children 0-5 eligible up to 210% FPL ($54,220 for a family of three).
  • Expansion adults eligible up to 138% FPL ($35,630 for a family of three).
  • Postpartum Medicaid extended to 12 months (effective 2022-04-01).

North Carolina Medicaid, topic by topic

Eligibility

Income limits & who qualifies

NC Medicaid covers pregnant women up to 201% of the federal poverty line ($51,900 annual income for a family of three in 2025).

Read

How to apply

How to apply step by step

Apply online at epass.nc.gov.

Read

Doula coverage

Doula coverage details

NC Medicaid has a Medicaid doula benefit pending CMS approval.

Read

Postpartum extension

12-month postpartum status

NC Medicaid extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, effective 2022-04-01.

Read

Pregnant women

Pregnancy coverage in full

NC Medicaid covers pregnancy-related care up to 201% of the federal poverty line (about $51,900 annual income for a family of three in 2025…

Read

Renewal

Annual renewal & unwinding

NC Medicaid redetermines eligibility at least once every 12 months under 42 CFR 435.916. During the 2023+ unwinding, roughly 69% of disenro…

Read

For Black families

Roughly 485,000 Black residents are enrolled in NC Medicaid, per the most recent CMS T-MSIS analytic file. The number understates true eligibility: every state has Black eligibles who aren't currently enrolled, usually because of the administrative-churn rates that rose sharply during the 2023 unwinding.

North Carolina became the 40th expansion state on December 1, 2023 under HB 76 (2023), signed by Governor Cooper after a decade of gridlock. In its first year, expansion enrolled more than 545,000 North Carolinians, roughly a third of whom are Black residents.

For enrollment help: look for your state's Navigator program (federally funded under the ACA), a Federally Qualified Health Center in your county (every FQHC has certified application counselors on staff), or one of the named community organizations below. Our FQHC directory filters to this state at /clinics/nc/.

More on North Carolina from Black Health

FQHCs

Federally Qualified Health Centers in North Carolina

Sliding-scale clinics that take Medicaid + help with applications.

Providers

Providers who accept Medicaid in North Carolina

Filter our directory to North Carolina by specialty.

Health data

Black Health outcomes in North Carolina

Maternal mortality, life expectancy, uninsured rate by race.

Sickle cell

Medicaid gene-therapy coverage in North Carolina

Does North Carolina Medicaid cover Casgevy + Lyfgenia? SCDAA chapter, comprehensive centers.

Hospitals

Safety-net hospitals in North Carolina

CMS ratings, Medicaid-accepting hospitals, and which facilities anchor care for Black patients.

Tool

Medicaid eligibility pre-check for North Carolina

Household size and income, in about a minute. Direct link to North Carolina’s apply portal.

WIC

WIC in North Carolina

Adjunctive WIC eligibility for everyone on NC Medicaid, monthly food package + Cash-Value Benefit.

SNAP

SNAP (food stamps) in North Carolina

Federal food assistance: FY 2025 max benefits, ABAWD rules, application URL for North Carolina.

TANF

TANF cash assistance in North Carolina

North Carolina’s maximum monthly TANF cash benefit, time limits, and how to apply.

Data sources

Data refreshed:

If you have Medicaid, the coverage on this page is the route to use first: it costs you nothing and it is what these programs exist for. If you are not covered yet, there is still a free option. Our directory of free and charitable clinics lists centers by state. The option below is self-pay and is not billed to Medicaid. It is here for readers who are between coverage or who prefer to pay out of pocket:

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