Sign Up for Medicaid Now

If you stayed in foster care until the age of 18 and received Medicaid benefits while in care, you qualify for Medicaid health insurance until age 26. Receiving Medicaid benefits after leaving foster care is not automatic. When you turn 18 years old, you must complete an application to continue Medicaid benefits.

After the application process is completed and Medicaid benefits are approved, renewal of coverage is automatic until you reach the age of 26. You should still contact the Medicaid office each year to verify that you have continued coverage. Also, notify the Medicaid office as soon as possible of your new address if you move.

Four important tips to sign up for extended Medicaid health insurance when you turn 18 years old are provided below. If you’re older and missed signing up at 18, follow these same steps to apply for Medicaid coverage until age 26.

• If you’d like some help applying for Medicaid, call the Palmetto Project, a nonprofit organization that helps people with the process of applying for Medicaid in South Carolina. Their toll free number is 1-888-998-4646. If you wish, the Palmetto Project can serve as your representative to sign you up for Medicaid coverage.
• You can also sign up directly with the Medicaid office. Be sure to tell the representative that you are in foster care or were in foster care or mark your foster care status on the application for this special extension of Medicaid until age 26. (The representative may ask you about your income or, if you are a female, about your eligibility based on pregnancy. Let the representative know that these criteria are not related to your extension of Medicaid until age 26).
• When applying directly with the Medicaid office, you can apply either on the phone or in person. You can make a free call to speak with a representative at 1-888-549-0820 or to locate a county SCDHHS office go to: https://www.scdhhs.gov/site-page/where-go-help.
• If you don’t understand any part of the application process, don’t be afraid to ask questions.

It takes time and energy to complete the application process, but it’s worth it! If you don’t have health insurance, it can be expensive to get medical care when you need it. Plus you want to take care of your health and stay strong!
Remember to sign up to extend your access to Medicaid health insurance coverage to age 26!