Most eligible children will automatically qualify for the program and were auto enrolled by May 2, 2025. Children automatically qualify if they are eligible for any of the following programs: 

• Free and reduced-price (FRP) meals at schools by approved FRP application
• Food and Nutrition Services (also called FNS or food stamps)
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Cherokee Tribal Food Distribution Program (CTFDP)
• Child is in Foster Care
• Child is enrolled in the McKinney-Vento program (experiencing homelessness or runaway)
• OR if they receive NC Medicaid benefits and have a household income below 185% of the federal poverty level

Families with children who qualify will receive a new 2025 SUN Bucks card in the mail.  

Families with questions can visit the website at ncdhhs.gov/sunbucks or call the NC SUN Bucks Call Center at 1-866-719-0141, select a language, then select option 2 to speak with a SUN Bucks representative.

See the full Press Release from NCDHHS to learn more.

The most recent 'NC Medicaid/NC AHEC Office Hours' highlighted several important tidbits regarding NCTracks. If you were not able to attend, don't worry!

• The User Login process is changing in 2025, and will require multi-factor authentication. This will occur in phases and email notifications will be sent.
  
  You do not have to wait for your e-mail notification---you can go ahead and update your user login now.
  
  Learn more about Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for NC Tracks users.
  

• Change of Ownership notification required at least 30 days prior to the change taking place.
  Learn more about Change of Ownership guidelines and FAQ's 
  
  
  
  
• Why does it matter if Provider Records in NCTracks are not up to date?

Additional topics were covered during this call. You can review a pdf of the slides from today's office hours here.

Today we bring you News and Updates from NCTracks:

Federal Provider Enrollment Application Fee Increase for Year 2025

A Message from NCTracks on Behalf of NC Medicaid

The federal fee for Medicaid enrollment has increased to $730 for calendar year 2025.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Federal Register 89 FR 95215 (see Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Programs; Provider Enrollment Application Fee Amount for Calendar Year 2025) finalized provisions related to the imposition of application fees as part of the Medicaid provider enrollment process for institutional providers and suppliers. The fee will vary from year to year pursuant to the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U). 

The federal fee for Medicaid enrollment will increase from $709 to $730 for calendar year 2025, and effective Jan 1, 2025, will be required as noted on the Provider Permission Matrix for:

• Initial enrollment;
• Re-enrollment;
• Adding a new owner or a new site location; and
• Re-verification.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

In accordance with the North Carolina Identity Management (NCID) Citizen Identity Project, NCTracks is changing the User Login process and implementing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) updates. Please complete the following steps to update your NCID profile by Sept. 6, 2024, in advance of the MFA updates:

As part of NCDHHS and the Governor's continued work to expand access to reproductive health services, NC Medicaid now covers over-the-counter contraception in pharmacies across the state.  Starting Thursday, August 1, 2024, the oral contraceptive Opill is available through local and retail pharmacies without a prescription, at no cost for NC Medicaid beneficiaries.  Opill is the first over-the-counter oral contraception that has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The USDA has launched a new, permanent program to provide food assistance to children and families during the summer. The SUN Bucks program will officially launch in summer 2024! SUN Bucks will provide grocery-buying benefits to qualifying families with school-aged children during the summer months when schools are on summer break. SUN Bucks is sometimes referred to as Summer EBT.

REGISTER NOW!

North Carolina Medicaid has provided updated enrollment reports and a dashboard.