CONCORD — Starting Dec. 1, Kannapolis residents living in Cabarrus County will be able to apply for North Carolina’s expanded Medicaid program.

The expansion will cover residents ages 19 through 64 earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line (singles earning $20,000 a year; families of three earning about $34,000 a year), so residents may be able to get coverage even if they didn’t qualify before. 

Officials estimate that more than 18,000 locals could become eligible for Medicaid under the new coverage. Cabarrus County Department of Human Services (DHS) added 30 new full-time positions in this year’s budget to handle the increase.   

Current beneficiaries with full Medicaid coverage will not see any changes. 

When applying, some necessary information includes full legal name, date of birth, social security number (or immigration documents) and income information (from paystubs, W-2 forms, tax returns or business records).  

Medicaid benefits pay for most health services, including doctor visits, yearly checkups, emergency care, maternity and postpartum care, vision and hearing services, dental, behavioral health care and more at little or no cost to eligible residents.  

Applications are available online at epass.nc.gov. Residents can also pick up a paper application at the following DHS locations: 

• The main location at 1303 South Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis
• The Milestone Building at 4855 Milestone Ave., Kannapolis
• The Dream Center at 280 Concord Parkway South, Suite 110, Concord.  

For more information about the expansion, visit medicaid.ncdhhs.gov or call 704-920-1400.