How to apply for Medicaid in North Carolina

Use any of the ways to apply listed above. They are the channels NC Medicaid names on its own pages, read on October 13, 2026.

Documents you'll need: proof of identity (state ID or passport), Social Security numbers for everyone applying, proof of income for the last 30 days (pay stubs, tax return, unemployment award letter), proof of US citizenship or lawful presence, proof of address (utility bill, lease, piece of official mail), and for pregnancy-related Medicaid, a pregnancy verification letter from a clinician. If you do not have every document, apply anyway and send the rest when the agency asks.

Language support: every state Medicaid program must offer interpretation and translation at no cost under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Ask for an interpreter when you call or, for written translations, request them in writing. If the state denies reasonable language access, you can file a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

How long a decision takes: federal rule 42 CFR 435.912 says the determination may not exceed 45 days for most applicants and 90 days for people who apply on the basis of disability (eCFR). 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.